Debi Cloud is a California native born in Hollywood, settling with her family 1976 in Santa Maria during her Freshman year at Righetti High. She has been passionately involved with art her whole life. Her dad was a talented artist. As a little girl she loved to watch him paint portraits & draw cartoons.
Debi married her high school sweetheart Ray and has now been married 30 years. They have one daughter Bethani, son-in-law Matt and two adorable grandsons. Soon after getting married she started taking business classes at Hancock College. After a short while she found Graphic Arts to be the career area that interested her most and started taking classes. This was the cornerstone that launched her career in Graphic Arts and Communication, eventually earning three separate Degrees in Art, Graphic Communication and Applied Media Design.
She landed her first full-time Graphics job at a newspaper in the Santa Ynez Valley. Her first major accomplishment was to meet all the Graphic deadlines for the first time in that newspaper’s history. After tiring of the daily commute, she found a job not only closer to home but one that she loved – the Library Artist for the Santa Maria Public Library. Her favorite accomplishments at the library include illustrations for the children’s reading program, two large murals, and creating a 7 foot 3 dimensional Pterodactyl dinosaur for the children’s room.
A couple of years later Debi left the Library to work for EMSS (Environmental Management Software Systems), a local start-up business her dad and two other business associates initiated. Her husband Ray was already employed there which made for interesting experience – to say the least! While at EMSS she furthered her Graphics skills by self-learning detailed and complex graphics software used in the production of sophisticated maps of client facilities, while also meeting all the other day-to-day graphics needs of the business such as newsletters, brochures, flyers, training manuals and ads for print. Debi also managed the Graphic Art Department where she took on jobs creating client logos, illustrations and product design work. Business at EMSS eventually slowed, so she moved on to another opportunity at dart company based right here in Santa Maria. Debi headed up the Graphics Dept. designing logos, dart packages, dart flights, catalogs and created ads.
She then pursued the opportunity to work as a Multi-Media Graphic Technician for a new local internet company called BenchmarkPortal.com. This company specialized in “benchmarking” the call center industry. Here is where Debi gained valuable experience in the world of online business. The company’s clients included corporate giants such as IBM, HP and Ebay – just to name a few. She honed her skills to develop and maintain web pages, do internet advertising, create animations and package presentations for conferences held world-wide via web-seminars. She also designed book covers & graphics for numerous publications. It was from this experience Debi added to her skills at corporate branding and image building. With the split and sale of the company, Debi with the full support of her husband Ray decided to give self-employment a chance.
Ray was already self-employed in an established home-based business under a different name, so they decided to join forces and in 2007 changed the name of the business to form The Cloud Company. The Cloud Company immediately joined the Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce where Debi has been actively serving as an Ambassador ever since. She is most grateful to her long time friend Erika Weber, Chief Ambassador who invited her to join the Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce. Debi attributes her success in business through Chamber members and networking. Debi now has a variety of unique clients developed through the Chamber, and she finds great pleasure in sharing her experience to helping other members businesses succeed.
Recently Debi joined the Santa Maria Women’s Network and offers special Chamber and SMWN discounts on her services as well. Her work experience of more than 25 years has given her a wide range of skills to go with her natural talents and education. This experience includes high-pressure, creative, technical and online work environments. You can view her portfolio on her web site: www.TheCloudCompany.com.
When she is not working on the computer, Debi and Ray love to spend time with their kids. They also enjoy taking RV adventures with friends and family when time permits. Debi keeps busy with Aglow International, Santa Maria Evening Lighthouse and serves on the board as Public Relations Secretary. Debi recently became a CASA advocate for two children, and she truly loves this experience and believes in helping others. Most of all she gives all the glory to Jesus Christ her personal Savior for everything in her life. It was not her plan to become self employed, but she trusted God and it’s been an adventure she is truly grateful for. Her favorite Bible verse is Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. Debi and Ray are members of Calvary Chapel Santa Maria.
