City Manager Bill Prokop announced Friday, Jan. 31 that Beaufort Fire Chief Reece Bertholf is assuming the responsibilities of assistant city manager.

Bertholf, 41, will keep his position as fire chief, and also perform the professional, administrative and managerial duties required to assist the overall operations of the City of Beaufort. He will work on special projects to ensure they are in concert with the policies and goals of the city manager.

Bertholf’s title will be Fire Chief/Assistant City Manager.

“In my absence, Reece will act as the city manager, with full authority to make decisions and sign contracts,” Prokop said in a release.

Bertholf joined the Fire Department in 2001 after serving four years in the U.S. Marine Corps and achieving the rank of corporal. He worked his way up the department ranks and became chief in 2015. In the last several years, Bertholf has assisted Prokop with several projects
and initiatives.

Bertholf earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina Beaufort, and a Master of Business Administration from The Citadel Graduate College.

He graduated from Leadership Beaufort, Leadership South Carolina and the Riley Institute at Furman’s Diversity Leader Initiative. He was in the inaugural class of the Local Government Leadership Institute, a program of the Joseph P. Riley Jr. Center for Livable Communities at The College of Charleston.

Bertholf and his wife, Mikie, have two children, Kiwa and Kai, who attend Beaufort High School and Riverview Charter School, respectively. He is active in community and school activities.

“I am very proud to have talent within our organization, like Reece, to afford me the opportunity to promote from within,” Prokop said. “I look forward to working closely with Reece on many of the plans and programs we have for the growth of our City in the years ahead. Please join me in congratulating him on the expansion of his duties and responsibilities.”