About Erv

Erv and Sue Portman with their four Daughters: Tricia, Ellen, Elizabeth, Carolyn, three sons-in-law: Mike, Cason and Andrew and their five grandchildren: Emilie, Macy, Avery, Charlie and Sophie

Growing up in Oshkosh, Wisconsin as the seventh of eight children in a strong, middle-class family, Erv Portman met and married his lovely wife Susan and completed his university education in urban and regional planning. During his 22 years in the town of 50,000, he gained an appreciation for effective communications, differing viewpoints, challenging the status quo, and the value of service.

To Erv, everyone has an opportunity every day to make a difference in the world by understanding their talents and finding a way to share them with their community.

He brought his family to Cary in 1992 after living throughout the United States while he worked in the healthcare industry. And despite his travels, Erv has always found ways to help build his local community. For over 10 years, he and his wife have facilitated a teen peer ministry retreat that brings high school students together to understand and grow in their faith. During this same period, Erv has served on Cary’s Planning and Zoning Board and Town Center Review Commission as well as the Mayors’ Task Force on School Assignment.

With his extensive international business experience in Asia, the Americas, Europe, and the former Soviet Union, Erv decided to start his own business in 1996. He founded Weststar Precision Inc, a Triangle contract manufacturing company that specializes in rapid prototype and high volume production of Precision components for industries globally.

As an entrepreneur, Erv works hard to create good jobs in his business and to identify new and innovative ways to serve his existing and new customers. In doing so, he builds his team and our collective community.

As an At-Large Town Council member since 2007, Erv Portman is focused on keeping Cary a beautiful place to live, work, and raise a family - a community on the leading edge with innovative facilities and an innovative philosophy - a community with a high quality of life that welcomes newcomers who want to share what Cary has to offer.

In his Council role, Erv is committed to managing growth, ensuring responsible use of tax dollars, supporting responsive and cost-effective government services, promoting regional cooperation, and preserving individual rights by allowing restrictions only when there’s a clear and compelling public need.