Ballroom B at the Marriott Savannah Riverfront was full but silent.

The room had bustled with excitement the day before, as Swedish and American businesspeople shared ideas and exchanged contact information.

But the events Tuesday night, April 21, replaced a tenor of substantial anticipation with a somber mood on the final day of the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce's Entrepreneurial Days conference in Savannah. (Click here for full Edays coverage.)

Those who had just gathered to celebrate the prospects of future prosperity now came together at an impromptu memorial service to mark the fresh loss of a man many of them counted a friend, colleague and indispensable organizer of the event they were attending.

Nils Eric Svensson, 61, a senior economic development official from southern Sweden, died at Memorial University Medical Center around midnight on April 21 after a truck hit him and another Swedish visitor as they were walking across Oglethorpe Street at Bull Street.

About 30 people were in the group heading to a nightcap from a chamber dinner reception in Madison Square.

Anne Christine Bjarkby, 45, a representative of the Invest in Sweden agency, suffered a fractured hip in the accident and remains in the hospital. Another man, Atlanta resident Bill Lambiase, was reportedly in the crosswalk when Mr. Svensson and Ms. Bjarkby were hit but was unhurt. The truck's driver stopped immediately and onlookers quickly administered CPR and called for help.

Police are still investigating the incident and have not decided whether to file charges against David Roberts of Savannah, the man identified as the truck's driver.

In the wake of the fatal accident, stories of heroism emerged.

Mr. Lambiase told the Savannah Morning News that he was about five feet back when he saw Mr. Svensson turn his body to shield Ms. Bjarkby from the truck's impact, capping his life with a final act of selflessness.

Lesley Dubin, a representative of software company Bridgequest Inc. in Atlanta, said that consideration for others was an integral part of Mr. Svensson's character that extended into his professional relationships.

At the memorial event, Ms. Dubin said Mr. Svensson had changed her life in a small way when, after they met at a 2007 cocktail event in Savannah, he showed his caring nature by sending her a followup e-mail recounting the smallest details of their conversation.

Ms. Dubin was with the group when the accident happened. She didn't see the impact but was close enough to hear it.

"I looked in that direction of the noise and saw Nils on the ground," she said. "I immediately rushed to him and began to clear his passageway and feel for his pulse, but didn't find one."

Fighting back tears at the memorial, she lauded Mr. Svensson's clear complexion and his "beautiful blue eyes."

"He was a man of stature, not just in size, but in a spiritual sense as well," she said, alluding to Mr. Svensson's towering height.

As business development manager for Skane, the southernmost region of Sweden, Mr. Svensson was a passionate proponent of U.S.-Sweden trade, said Viveka Wahlstedt, the chamber's national chair, in her remarks.

"He was the biggest American I've ever known [in business practices]," Mr. Wahlstedt said. He was "open to increasing dialogue in business between America and Sweden. Let's carry on his message."

Ms. Wahlstedt canceled the general sessions of the conference, but business matchmaking continued as Mr. Svensson surely would've wanted, she said.

Mr. Svensson gave GlobalGeorgia a tour of the cities of Malmo and Lund during a trip to Sweden on a Sunday in early April.

He was a tireless organizer of the Edays conference, which he had attended for the last eight years. He formerly worked in the logistics industry and told GlobalGeorgia the day before his death that he had been enjoying his fifth visit to Savannah.

Mee Eriksson, a fellow Skane native, former executive director of SACC-Georgia and a special organizer of the Savannah conference, said that she counted Mr. Svensson as a friend and had spoken with him at least five times during the preparations.

This is the 11th year of the bi-annual event.

Gunilla Girardo, president of SACC-USA, called Mr. Svensson a valuable partner for Edays.

"He was my one-stop shop for Skane. I could call him whenever, wherever, and get things done," Ms. Girardo said in her remarks.

Savannah hadn't prepared to end such a promising event on a tragic note, but by all accounts, the city lived up to its billing as the South's "Hostess City."

On Monday, April 20, Savannah Mayor Otis Johnson had signed a partnership with Vaxjo, Sweden, to cooperate on many fronts including environmental initiatives. Vaxjo is about two hours by train from Malmo, where Mr. Svensson lived and worked.

On Tuesday night, Mr. Johnson and city officials were just as fervent in their dedication to the Swedish delegation as they had been the night before, according to chamber officials.

"The mayor spent a long time here with us last night when we were in deep shock," said Ms. Girardo.

She also said that the Savannah College of Art & Design had opened a guest house to relatives of Mr. Svensson and Ms. Bjarkby and that Delta Air Lines Inc. had offered to help with any transportation needs of family members.

At the memorial, at least three city council members and Mayor Pro-tem Edna Jackson joined Mr. Johnson in offering the city's support.

"I am really struggling with the correct words to express how sad we are that this unfortunate event occurred in our community," Mr. Johnson said. "Though it is hard to see the reason why things happen as they do, may it comfort you to know that loving thoughts go out to all of you during this time of great sorrow and pain."

State Rep. Ron Stephens, chair of the economic development and tourism committee for the Georgia House of Representatives, commended Mr. Johnson and the city for how they responded in the wake of the tragedy.

A native of Savannah, Mr. Stephens said he doesn't know how the city could have reacted any better.

Mr. Svensson is survived by a wife and grown children. Chamber officials said they contacted the Swedish Embassy in Washington, which made sure his wife was informed of the news in person.

Georgia officials didn't hear about the event until hours after it happened, but Chris Young, chief of protocol and head of the state's international affairs, said that he contacted the Swedish honorary consul in Georgia and  the embassy to assure the cooperation of state and Savannah officials.

The chamber has set up an account at the Coastal Bank in Savannah for Mr. Svensson's family and Ms. Bjarkby's recovery. Donations can be made at any of the bank's six branches or by sending a check by mail to:

The Coastal Bank

c/o Melissa Watson

18 West Bryan Street 

Savannah, Ga. 31401

For more information, call the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce of Georgia at (770) 670-2480.

With reporting by Phil Bolton.

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