Current City Commissioner Chris Cloudman has thrown his hat in the ring to become our next mayor of DeLand.

“I truly love DeLand,” said Cloudman. “I’m committed to serving this community, and want to do my part to give back and be a voice for the people.” 

DeLand’s Seat 4 city commissioner since 2014, Cloudman would bring knowledge, skills and experience to the role of mayor. “I feel like it takes 4 to 6 years of learning on the job as a city commissioner to build a level of knowledge and a network of contacts throughout the region in order to be an effective leader,” said Cloudman. “That is something I can bring to the role of mayor. I can step in from day one and hit the ground running.”

Fond of DeLand’s small-town feel and sense of community, Cloudman is not looking for that to change. “I’m not running for mayor because I see DeLand as a place that needs drastic change,” said Cloudman. “I’m doing this because I love DeLand and I want to help guide our city through these times of growth, while helping us keep our sense of identity and character.”

Cloudman hopes to achieve this by following in the footsteps of past city and county leaders that he admired like Leigh Matusick and Pat Northey. “I respected the fact that they did a lot of homework on every item on the agenda, had made site visits and had put a lot of thought into their decisions and input,” said Cloudman. “I have always tried to serve in a similar fashion and plan to continue in that way.”

Growing up in Volusia County, Cloudman never would have expected to one day be running for Mayor of DeLand. But after becoming involved with the YMCA at an early age, a passion for giving back was sparked. “As a kid, I spent my summers at Camp Winona in DeLeon Springs,” said Cloudman, “as a camper, in the kitchen and as a camp counselor. I really felt that I was given a lot by participating in these types of programs — I grew as a person and developed into someone who is passionate about giving back to the community.”

After graduating from college, Cloudman continued on his mission to give back in as many ways as he could. From working as a program leader at the Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranch in Barberville, to facilitating the Leadership West Volusia program, to being a member of the city’s Planning Board and becoming a city commissioner, Cloudman has always been active in the community.

In addition to being city commissioner, Cloudman also currently represents DeLand on the River to Sea Transportation Planning Organization Board, the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council and the River of Lakes Heritage Corridor Management Entity, to name a few.

Cloudman is a recent past president of the Rotary Club of Downtown DeLand, a Mentor and Advisory Committee Chair of the FUTURES Foundation Take Stock in Children program, and a volunteer with the Millennium Musicians youth music program, where he plays the saxophone and euphonium.

As mayor, Cloudman hopes to get the youth more involved in the city. “Quite a few cities have a mayor’s youth council, which is something I’ve been interested in starting for several years,” said Cloudman. “I think it’s important to give a voice to the younger members of our city, for them to participate in service projects and learn how the city operates.”

As a public servant, Cloudman credits his helpful nature to his parents. “They always worked hard to give my sister and I a better life,” said Cloudman, “and if someone needed something, they would not hesitate to give them the shirt off their back. So now, my wife and I are trying to do the same and lead by example.”

Chris and his wife, Megan, have two daughters, Emily and Isobel, and enjoy volunteering, community events and spending time outdoors.

To learn more about Chris Cloudman, visit chriscloudman.com or follow him on Facebook @CloudmanForMayor.

Cast your ballot for Chris Cloudman for Mayor of DeLand during the general election on Tuesday, Aug. 23.

– Political advertisement paid for and approved by Chris Cloudman for Mayor of DeLand