Ely Portillo is a business reporter for The Charlotte Observer, focusing on commercial and residential real estate. Charlotte is one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., and Ely writes about the growth and the growing pains that come with the transition from a small to a big city. A winner of SABEW's first-place breaking news award, Ely has also covered Charlotte riots, the 2016 election in North Carolina and a five-legged puppy. He and his wife are expecting their first child in 2018.