Ed Gray, III, head of Capital Trust Agency and Gulf Breeze Financial Services, called yesterday to say that he will file to run for Florida House District 2 seat that was held by another Gulf Breeze resident Clay Ford until his death last week.
Gray has lived in Gulf Breeze since the 1960s. In 1980s He was elected to the city council and later mayor of Gulf Breeze. While mayor, Gray led the creation of the Gulf Breeze Loan Pool that has helped keep the city taxes the lowest in Northwest Florida. In 1990s after retiring from office, Gray helped the city form Gulf Breeze Financial Services and Capital Trust Agency that took over management of the loan pool that provides substantial loans for urban redevelopment projects.
Later Gray served and chaired the Santa Rosa School Board. In 2011,he was the recipient of the Combined Rotary Clubs Ethics in Business award.
Gray will be a formidable candidate in a district dominated by Gulf Breeze, south Santa Rosa County and Pensacola Beach, especially if Pensacola and southwest Escambia County split their votes between several other candidates during the GOP primary. He has name recognition which will be key in the tight timeframe for this campaign.