City Council

Marc Seelinger

Position
Mayor Pro Tem

Family
Marc grew up in Raleigh and has called Belmont home for nearly a decade. He and his wife, Cherry, a native of Hong Kong, are raising their two school-aged sons, Winston and William, in the heart of the community they love.

Education
Marc is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned a double major in Economics and Chinese, along with a minor in History.

Career
With more than 12 years of experience in business intelligence and data analytics, Marc has built a career turning complex information into meaningful insights that improve efficiency and reduce costs. He currently leads the Claims Data Analytics and Insights team at Ategrity Insurance, a specialty excess and surplus property and liability carrier.

In addition to his corporate work, Marc and his wife own and operate three Marco’s Pizza locations in Gastonia, Matthews, and Indian Trail—each consistently recognized as a top-performing store regionally and nationally. He also serves as a professional campaign treasurer for dozens of candidates and political action committees across North Carolina.

Volunteer Positions
Marc is committed to giving back to the community. He serves on the Board of Trustees for the Gaston County Museum of Art and History, where he is also the Board Treasurer. Additionally, he serves on the Finance Committee at Queen of the Apostles Catholic Church and is active in his son’s Cub Scout Pack 62 at First Presbyterian Church in Belmont. Prior to being elected to Council, Marc served on the Parks and Recreation Citizens Advisory Board and volunteered with the Main Street Board’s Economic Vitality Subcommittee.

Hobbies
In his free time, Marc enjoys zipping up and down the Catawba River with his sons on his jet ski, as well as hiking and exploring the outdoors with his family. He is also an avid reader who enjoys everything from classic mysteries to historical biographies.

Charlie Hill

Position
Councilman

Family
Charlie was born and raised in Belmont and takes a great amount of pride in his hometown. He has been happily married for 7 years to his wife, Katie, who is also a Belmont Native. They have 2 preschool aged children together, Hudson and Olivia. Charlie is the son of Michael and Nancy Hill, also lifelong residents of Belmont.

Education
After attending South Point High School, Charlie was given an athletic scholarship to play baseball at Carson Newman University. He then later received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Belmont Abbey College.

Career
After college, Charlie enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he has been to over 50 countries across 5 different continents and completed multiple deployments on his way to becoming a decorated combat veteran. He also works as a Risk and Compliance Analyst for a top 5 bank where he specializes in anti-money laundering procedures for federal regulators. Charlie’s leadership experience combined with his understanding of fiscal accountability and regulation can help improve Belmont’s financial health.

Hobbies and Commitment

Charlie most enjoys being a father and spending time with his family. He also loves to play golf, basketball, and developing his hobby of woodworking. He enjoys traveling abroad and helping his wife with her next household Pinterest Project. Since he was raised in our amazing community, Charlie promises to preserve our small-town charm while also planning for the proper growth that needs to occur. Belmont has always had a reputation of being a great place to live and raise a family, Charlie wants to keep it that way.

Jim Hefferan

Position
Councilman

Family
Jim Hefferan has been a Belmont resident since 2012. He was born and raised in Dearborn, Michigan, where his parents still reside. He has a younger sister who lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Jim married his wife Nicole in 2023.

Education
Jim received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with highest distinction from the University of Michigan. Jim received a Juris Doctor magna cum laude from Wake Forest University.

Career
Jim is currently in his second stint as an attorney at the law firm of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP.  Jim also spent five years as a law professor in Charlotte, including two summers teaching at Vilnius University in Lithuania. Jim also serves as an adjunct professor at Wake Forest University.

Volunteer Positions
Jim serves as the City Council liaison to the Belmont Main Street Program/Downtown Belmont Development Association and Belmont Trolley Inc. He is a non-voting board member of the Gaston County Economic Development Commission. Jim also serves as a reader at Queen of the Apostles Catholic Church and is a member of the Belmont Historical Society. He previously served on the Belmont Planning and Zoning Board, the Belmont Zoning Board of Adjustment, and the Gaston County Animal Care and Enforcement Advisory Board.

Hobbies & Interests
Jim is a passionate fan of Wake Forest sports, especially football. Between 2000 and 2019, Jim attended 246 consecutive Wake Forest football games, home and away, and still attends as many games as possible. Jim also enjoys traveling with his wife, and has visited 42 states and over 25 European countries.

Jason Rumfelt

Position
Councilman

Family
Jason is a Belmont native who takes great pride in his hometown.  Married for 21 years to his wife, Trina, they have one daughter, Katie, who attended Belmont public schools and is currently a student at Auburn University.  Jason is the son of Mick and Elaine Rumfelt, also natives of Belmont.

Education
After graduating from South Point High School, Jason received his Bachelor’s degree in Economics, with a minor in Finance, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Career
Self-employed for 28 years, Jason works as a financial consultant to individuals and business owners and frequently collaborates with legal and tax advisors around the U.S. to address various tax and retirement planning needs for his clients.  Jason’s experience and understanding of fiscal responsibility affords Council a critical perspective with regard to stewardship of our taxpayers’ dollars.

Community Involvement and Volunteer Activities
Jason and his family are members and volunteers at South Point Baptist Church.  In addition, Jason is a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) and has assisted with various fundraising and outreach efforts for schools and nonprofits in the Belmont community.

Hobbies and Commitment
As an avid high school and college sports fan, Jason is a staunch supporter of our local sports teams as well as his beloved North Carolina Tar Heels and more recently, Auburn Tigers.  In his efforts to achieve a healthy work-life balance, Jason also enjoys spending time with family, working out, traveling and scuba diving.  Having grown up in our wonderful community, Jason promises to his fellow citizens to work to preserve the charm and amenities that have always made Belmont such a great place to live, work, play and raise a family.

Alex Szucs

Position
Councilman

Family
Alex is a Gaston County native who shows pride for our community. He is happily married to his high school sweetheart Maddie Szucs. Alex and Maddie have one dog, Miller.

Education
Alex graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Finance and Banking with a concentration in corporate finance. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity where he served as President.

Career
Alex is a Senior Financial Analyst for Diversey Holdings, Ltd. Diversey is a provider of cleaning and hygiene products globally. He manages profit and loss statements for customers over three different sectors along with forecasting. Alex brings a financial background that will aid to the current financial outlooks for Belmont.

Volunteer Positions
Prior to being elected to Belmont's City Council, Alex served as Chairman of Belmont's Historic Preservation Advisory Board for a little over two years. He is a strong advocate for our local history and historic structures. He also previously served on the Aberfoyle Townhomes HOA Board as Treasurer where he was able to establish a healthy reserve for the community. He currently volunteers for various historical groups throughout Gaston County. Alex currently serves as the Finance Chair for Appalachian State University's Interfraternal Council Advisory Board. Alex and his wife attend the Pointe Church.

Hobbies & Commitment
Alex is an avid golfer and fisherman. He enjoys weekends on Lake Wylie with family and friends. He has always had a profound interest in our local history, specifically Belmont's history. Alex is committed to preserving our small town charm while cultivating a "one community" feel.