MBPD lieutenant to be awarded by Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce

This year’s Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Grand Strand program’s Ann DeBock Leadership Award will be presented to Lt. John Bertang with the Myrtle Beach Police Department.

The award will be presented to Bertang May 12 at the Ann DeBock leadership award alumni association social held at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club, according to a press release.

Each year the Leadership Grand Strand class honors an alumnus who has shown outstanding leadership and service. In order to receive the Ann DeBock Leadership Award, the recipient must volunteer in service or civic roles, serve on appointed boards or commissions, and exhibit overall effective leadership skills.

Bertang is a graduate of the MBCC’s Leadership Grand Strand program. When he’s not doing police work, he can often be found volunteering at the Rape Crisis Center, Celebrate Recovery, the Red Cross, the Humane Society and Beach Church.

“In his dedication to the mission of this agency, he has been there for our staff and volunteers, at every fundraiser, every awareness event, every volunteer recognition and remains supportive and committed to our staff and volunteers to this day,” said Joyce Hart, executive director of the Rape Crisis Center.

Bertang was hired by the MBPD after moving to the area in 1996, and 19 years later he is overseeing 61 police officers.

While serving on the MBPD, Bertang also earned a master’s degree through Webster University in management and human resources development, and he graduated with a 4.0 grade point average, which he maintained while working full-time with the MBPD.

Bertang received his undergraduate degree at Trenton State College, which is now The College of New Jersey and majored in criminal law and justice and minored in motivational psychology and sociology.

The goal of the Leadership Grand Strand program is to develop a corps of informed, committed and qualified individuals who are capable of providing dynamic leadership for the Grand Strand, according to the MBCC press release.

The Ann DeBock Leadership Award was commissioned and started by Class XIX in memory of Ann DeBock, the executive director of Leadership Grand Strand from its inception in 1979 until her death in 1998.

For more information, visit www.LeadershipGrandStrand.com or call 916-7222.

This story was originally published April 22, 2015 at 10:47 AM with the headline "MBPD lieutenant to be awarded by Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce."