Event Details - Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce

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Portia C. Willis is from Greenville, North Carolina. She holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and corrections from East Carolina University. She is married and has 2 kids. 

Portia is an entrepreneur. She previously worked as a victim advocate at the Center for Family Violence Prevention. 

Portia is currently serves as a Greenville City Council Member. She was elected in 2023 and is serving her first term.

Candidate website

Promises to support "responsible economic growth that uplifts our community while respecting the real, everyday experiences of working families."

- Supports small businesses.
- Promises to support "responsible economic growth that uplifts our community while respecting the real, everyday experiences of working families."

Economy

As a city council member, voted against a proposal to allow a Camping World flag to be flown at the city’s baseball stadium.

Supports open, inclusive civic engagement.

- As a city council member, voted against a proposal to allow a Camping World flag to be flown at the city’s baseball stadium.
- Supports open, inclusive civic engagement.

Public Services

As of September 4, 2025, Portia C. Willis’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Housing & Urban Development

Supports strong public safety efforts and wellness programs for officers.

- Supports strong public safety efforts and wellness programs for officers.

Public Safety

Transportation & Infrastructure

Education

Facebook

Portia C. Willis

Supports developing leadership, community involvement, and character development in K-12 students.

A native of Greenville, NC, she is a wife, mother of two, an entrepreneur and a respected leader in the local community.

Portia is currently an at-large member of the Greenville City Council. She was elected in 2023 and is serving her first term.

As of September 4, 2025, Portia C. Willis did not have a website or any information online.

Walter Ley

Will Bell holds a bachelor's degree in political science and government from East Carolina University.  He is married to his wife, Larkins, with whom he has 3 children. He also served as a member of the Greenville Planning and Zoning Commission, 

Will is a state manager of Pernod Ricard. He previously worked as a market manager at Coding 1530 Tequila and as a district sales manager at Souther Glazer's Wine & Spirits. 

Will Bell (Greenville City Council At-Large, North Carolina ...

Three new faces join Greenville City Council; Glover, Bell defeated ...

Will previously served as a Greenville City Council. Member. He was first elected in 2017 and served for 3 terms. He ran for re-election in 2023 but did not win. 

As a city council member, helped pass a record low property tax rate.

Supports small businesses and entrepreneurship.

- As a city council member, helped pass a record low property tax rate.
- Opposes "excessive" tax increases.
- Supports small businesses and entrepreneurship.

Supports establishing a full-service YMCA to serve families, youth, and seniors across Greenville.

Wants to bring a YMCA center to Greenville. 

Supports building a multi-use greenway connecting Greenville to Washington, NC to boost recreation, tourism, and regional connectivity.

Wants to build a multi-use greenway connecting Greenville to Washington, NC to boost recreation, tourism, and regional connectivity.

Supports providing sustainable, annual funding to support East Carolina University (ECU) student entrepreneurs and help launch homegrown businesses in Greenville.

Supports providing ongoing annual funding to empower ECU student entrepreneurs and foster homegrown businesses in Greenville.

Supports constructing a modern amphitheater at Greenville's Town Common to host concerts, festivals, and community events, drawing regional visitors downtown.

Wants to build a modern amphitheater at Greenville's Town Common to host concerts, festivals, and community events, drawing regional visitors downtown.

Promises to maintain "open communication, community input, and full transparency from City Hall."

Promises to be a representative who "listens first and leads with facts and fairness—not politics or personal agendas."

- Wants to bring a YMCA center to Greenville. 
- Wants to build a multi-use greenway connecting Greenville to Washington, NC to boost recreation, tourism, and regional connectivity.
- Supports providing ongoing annual funding to empower ECU student entrepreneurs and foster homegrown businesses in Greenville.
- Wants to build a modern amphitheater at Greenville's Town Common to host concerts, festivals, and community events, drawing regional visitors downtown.
- Promises to maintain "open communication, community input, and full transparency from City Hall."
- Promises to be a representative who "listens first and leads with facts and fairness—not politics or personal agendas."

Supports development that strengthens Greenville's future without displacing residents or overwhelming infrastructure.

- Supports development that strengthens Greenville's future without displacing residents or overwhelming infrastructure.

Plans to prioritize investment in public safety and neighborhood infrastructure.

Plans to prioritize investing in public safety and neighborhood infrastructure.

Believes every neighborhood deserves clean streets, safe parks, and a strong sense of community.

- Plans to prioritize investing in public safety and neighborhood infrastructure.
- Believes every neighborhood deserves clean streets, safe parks, and a strong sense of community.

Promises to ensure growth is balanced, community-driven, and aligned with long-term planning goals.

- Promises to ensure growth is balanced, community-driven, and aligned with long-term planning goals.

Supports higher education innovation funding that includes entrepreneurship accelerators and business incubation programs.

- Supports higher education innovation funding that includes entrepreneurship accelerators and business incubation programs.

Will Bell

Will is a sales leader at a global company. He also runs his own real estate and small business ventures.

Will previously served three terms on the Greenville City Council, where he built a reputation for being thoughtful, pragmatic, and accessible. Bell first elected to the Greenville City Council in 2017 when he won the District 3 seat. He held that seat until 2022, when he ran for the council’s at-large seat in an election that was delayed because problems finalizing the 2020 U.S. Census data hindered the city’s efforts to redraw its voting districts. He held the at-large seat until Willis defeated him in 2023.

As of September 4, 2025, Will Bell’s website did not contain information on this issue.

- City council members work together to set and implement city policy. 
- The city council is tasked with ensuring the health, comfort, and safety of residents of the city.
- City council members work with the mayor to govern city departments, such as the police department, fire department, transportation department, and parks and recreation department. 
- City council members represent either the whole city or residents of a specific district. 