Your Neighbor: Brenton Cloud

Neighborhood: North Shore Road
Neighbor since: Lived on Longboat Key from ages 13 to 17; returned in 2012

You could say the saltwater resides in Brenton Cloud’s blood.

His mother and stepfather are Cannons Marina owners Lucile Capo-Miller and David Miller. His mother’s family has lived in Florida since the 1700s.

Cloud grew up in Cortez and Bradenton before moving to the Key at age 13.

“I’ve spent most of my life being on a boat,” he said.

After 12 years away from his home state, Cloud returned to his saltwater roots last year.

He left Longboat Key for boarding school at 17, before attending Marymount Manhattan College in New York City. His first day of college: Sept. 11, 2001.

He stuck it out in New York City, earned his business degree and worked a series of financial jobs before settling into a Wall Street career in 2007 — right before the beginning of the Great Recession.

But, last year, after trips to the Florida Keys and Boca Grande, Cloud asked himself: “What am I doing?” He began thinking about what he missed at home, along with his family’s business.

So, Cloud left his Wall Street job behind in 2012 to move with his girlfriend, Pallas Knight, to Longboat Key, where he could start working at Cannons Marina, which David Miller’s family bought in 1955.

Cloud works just about every facet of Cannons Marina and hopes to keep the business in the family.
Already, he’s diving back into Longboat life. In addition to pursuing his hobbies such as surfing, spearfishing and hunting, he also recently joined the Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key At age 30, he’s the club’s youngest member.

“It’s like I never left,” he says of living on Longboat Key.

IN HIS OWN WORDS: “I have a family business that’s priceless.” — Brenton Cloud