Chamber chairman Craig Douglas told members at the chamber's annual meeting this week that he ''wouldn't be here today'' without Mrs Lockhart's support.
''I suspect that in the future, we will look back and recognise this as the end of a very successful era for the Chamber - the Lockhart era.''
''This lady gets things done - I am sure Queenstown will continue to benefit from her knowledge and experience.''
Mrs Lockhart will step down from the role at the end of this month.
She said ''it's been an absolute pleasure, it's been a blast'', while thanking chamber members and her small team of staff.
Mr Douglas said the chamber board expected to make an appointment in the coming weeks.
The new CEO would likely start in late January.
Chamber members elected Anna Edie, general manager of Queenstown's Crowne Plaza hotel, to the board of directors at the meeting, and reinstated Mr Douglas.
Mr Douglas said the chamber was in the early stages of forming links with the Wakatipu High School Foundation, to help promote the education of Queenstown's future business leaders.
He said the formal alliance made this year with the Ignite Wanaka Chamber of Commerce would help develop a ''collective voice'' to tackle issues shared by both chambers.
The success of the recent Destination Queenstown-led delegation to the resort's sister city, Hangzhou, was also praised by Mrs Lockhart.
