The Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau announced that Scott Bort, of Griffith, Ind., will become the new Public Relations Manager for the CVB.

Bort replaces Bob Lukens who is leaving to become the Muskegon County, Mich., community development director.

Bort is a native of Oak Lawn, and graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2005.  Bort comes to the CVB from the Post-Tribune in Merrillville, Ind., which is part of Sun-Times Media. He was an award-winning visual journalist who specialized in multimedia production.

“Although we are sad to see Bob go,” said President/CEO Jim Garrett of the Chicago Southland CVB. “We are happy to bring Scott aboard and are excited to see how his diverse media background can help get the word out about the great things in the Chicago Southland.”

Developing and implementing public relations plans that provide positive exposure and publicity for the Chicago Southland area is the focus of Bort’s role at the Chicago Southland CVB.

“There was no way I could turn down the opportunity to come home and help promote the area that I know and love so much,” said Bort.

The Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official destination marketing organization for Chicago’s 61 south and southwest suburbs. The CVB markets the Southland region as a leisure, meetings and conventions, group tour, and sports event destination.

For information, contact Bort at 708-895-8200 or scott@visitchicagosouthland.com.