The Merrillville Town Council unanimously selected Deann Patena to serve as the town’s representative on the South Shore Convention and Visitor’s Authority board of directors.
Patena, who is the president and CEO of the Merrillville-based Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce, fills the seat of former Merrillville Town Manager Patrick Reardon. He resigned in July.
“We are excited to have someone like Deann representing Merrillville on the South Shore Convention and Visitor’s Authority,” Merrillville Town Council President Rick Bella said in a press release. “Her background in the hospitality industry should provide the board with great ideas.”
Town Councilman Shawn Pettit said the chamber’s growth is a reflection of Patena’s hard work. Patena has led the Crossroads Chamber since 2020.
“She’s going to make an excellent representative,” Pettit said.
Patena started in the hospitality and tourism industries as a sales executive with the Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza in Merrillville. She later became the director of sales with Blue Chip Casino Hotel & Spa before returning to Radisson as the director of sales and marketing. She also served as the director of meeting and event sales at Fair Oaks Farms & The Farmhouse Conference Center.
