York Town News
Russ Peterson: York's Citizen of the Year
By Jennifer L. Saunders
York Citizen of the Year Russ Peterson is pictured here in his York Harbor office with one of his favorite paintings of Matinicus Island, which he completed two years ago.
Photo by Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK - When local resident and business owner Russell A. "Russ" Peterson learned last week that he had been named Citizen of the Year, he could not have been more surprised.
"You could have knocked me over with a feather," Peterson said last week in the York Harbor office of R.A. Peterson Associates, his investment and financial services firm. "It's a great honor to be recognized by folks in this community. I'm very appreciative."
Peterson was moderating the Greater York Region Chamber of Commerce's candidate forum last week and his wife Sue Peterson, a local teacher, was in the audience when Chamber Executive Director Cathy Goodwin announced he had been selected Citizen of the Year.
The chamber is one of the many community organizations he has served, including the York Housing Authority, York Rotary, Old York Historical Society, Wheeler Trust and York Public Library, to name just a few.
"It's always been important to me to make a difference in the community, to improve the quality of life," Peterson said.
And he has served on more than 65 boards and committees since his early thirties. His efforts have included the chamber's Visitor Center, the York Public Library building and several projects for the York Housing Authority. Most recently, Peterson serves as chairman for Old York's Heritage Campaign to create a new education center in York Village.
The successes of the chamber, library, Old York and others could not happen without the work of many volunteers, Peterson said, praising the importance of these organizations to the community.
"You take your turn, and sometimes it lasts a year, and sometimes it lasts 15 years," he said. "Giving time is the most precious gift that you can give."
From the chamber to Old York, those in the community have been quick to hail Peterson as completely deserving of his award.
"Russ has been a key player in the historical society for years, serving as trustee, board president and chair of important committees, including the current capital drive," said Old York Director Scott Stevens. "He has a keen sense of how volunteer-run organizations should function, and applies a sharp mind to his fiscal responsibility as a board member. He is truly generous with his time, knowledge and money."
For his part, Peterson said he believes that any task is possible if a group of people gets together with the desire and the commitment to make a shared vision into a reality. It is something he has seen time and again in York, he said.
"A community is not just a group of people. It has connections that weave together to make it unique," Peterson said, "and York is truly unique."
Peterson will be honored at the chamber's annual dinner on Nov. 16 and will be the grand marshal for this year's Festival of Lights Parade on Dec. 2.
"If everyone gave as freely as Russ does," Stevens said, "this would be a much better world."
