CANBERRA Citizen of the Year and chief executive of the ACT Chamber of Commerce Chris Peters was farewelled by hundreds at a public memorial service at Albert Hall today.

Dr Peters, who was 63, died in February after battling pancreatic cancer.

Speakers at the memorial from business, defence,  diplomatic, employment and not-for-profit sectors reflected on Dr Peters’ “tireless” contribution to the ACT community, including Chief Minister Katy Gallagher, Vice Chancellor of the University of Canberra Stephen Parker, Chief Executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Peter Anderson, Public Trustee for the ACT Andrew Taylor and Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston.

Ms Gallagher paid tribute to Dr Peters’ service on more than 20 government advisory boards, authorities and committees, as well as his role in founding the Indigenous Business Chamber of Australia.

“I can’t really recall the first time I met Chris – he was one of those people who was always just there,” Ms Gallagher said.

“Once I suggested he should cut back on his schedule, and he replied that his diary and Jo were the things that kept him going.

“He was a man who made an extraordinary contribution to both the local and the business community. He is a man who was respected, loved and who will be sorely missed. In every sense, he was a great Canberran.”

Dr Peters and his wife Josephine moved to Canberra in 1991.

Described as having a “business card as long as your arm,” he established the Canberra Institute of Technology Vocational College, received an honorary doctorate from the University of Canberra in 2009 and was made a member of the Order of Australia in 2004.

In 1997 he was elected as chief executive of the ACT Chamber of Commerce and in March last year he was named Canberra Citizen of the Year.

At the time, Dr Peters said one of his greatest achievements was rallying the business community to help after the 2003 Canberra bushfires.

Dr Peters described it as “something that gave Canberra heart and it’s something that made Canberrans realise what we can do together.”