Visit Chicago Southland on Tuesday announced Mary Patchin as the tourism agency’s president and CEO.
Patchin will lead efforts to promote Chicago’s south and southwest suburbs as a destination for business and leisure travel and events. She previously served as vice president of sales and succeeds Jim Garrett, who will retire this month after serving as president and CEO of the agency since 1996. Patchin will start her role July 1.
Patchin joined Visit Chicago Southland, formerly called the Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau, in 1999 as a sales associate. She has boosted sales goals and brought group business such as meetings, sports, group tours and social events to the region, according to the tourism bureau.
Patchin said in a statement that she will focus on the agency’s three-year strategic plan that was created last year. It includes advocating for development in the region and supporting initiatives to spotlight the south and southwest suburbs.
Attractions in the area include Brookfield Zoo, about 30 golf courses, amphitheaters, sports facilities and Ozinga Field, home of minor league baseball team the Windy City ThunderBolts, she said. Patchin also highlighted the Wind Creek Chicago Southland Casino, slated to open this fall in East Hazel Crest.
The region is also well-connected to multiple interstate highways and may see progress on the South Suburban Airport in Monee. Gov. J.B. Pritzker last summer signed legislation mandating the state to seek a partner to build the air cargo airport.
Visit Chicago Southland has not lobbied for the airport and said its stance on the project “has always been apolitical/neutral.”
“Over the years, we have used our platform to educate through having advocates for and against to present or discuss to and with our board,” the agency said.
The Illinois Department of Transportation said it had no updates and continues “to evaluate needs and potential uses of the project going forward.”
