People: New Hires & Promotions

Raju Ruparelia

StorHub Group, which operates self-storage facilities in Asia and Australia, has announced that Raju Ruparelia has joined the company as CEO. Ruparelia succeeds Mike Hagbeck, Storhub's Co-founder and its previous CEO for the last five years. Ruparelia has more than two decades of experience driving business growth and transformation. He previously served as Senior Managing Director and Head of APAC Private Capital at Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board, overseeing the firm’s direct private equity investing activities across the region, including its real estate related investments. Read more.

Adrienne Zimmer

StoragePRO Management, Inc., has named Adrienne Zimmer as its new vice president of finance and accounting. She’s responsible for all long-range financial matters; establishing company-wide financial and administrative objectives, policies, programs, and practices; directing the company’s accounting practices; and maintaining relationships with lending institutions, shareholders, and the financial community. Zimmer, who has over 20 years of financial and operational experience in commercial, homebuilding, and multifamily real estate, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and earned an MBA from St. Mary’s College. She’s also a certified public accountant (CPA).

Pablo Caballeros

StoragePRO Management, Inc., has named Pablo Caballeros as its new vice president of operations. In this new role, Caballeros is responsible for managing the strategic direction of all store operations, including training and developing the operations team across various geographic areas and P&L management for all properties in the portfolio. He will serve as the as the bridge between the Operations Team and the store owners. His 18-plus years of experience in the self-storage industry includes various management roles with Public Storage and StorQuest. Caballeros earned a Master of Business Administration from Cal State Northridge.

Josh Grove

Shimon Kanter

Real estate investment and development firm Madison Capital Group has named Shimon Kanter as Vice President of Development for its subsidiary, Go Store It! Self Storage. He’ll be responsible for sourcing and developing projects in the Northeast. Kanter has nearly a decade of self-storage experience. Before joining Madison, he was vice president of development and construction for Store Space Self-Storage. Prior to that, he served as Vice President of Development for Poverni Sheikh Group, spearheading the company’s self-storage development platform. “We are excited to welcome Shimon to our team,” said Madison CEO Ryan Hanks. “His proven track record will be crucial in driving our national expansion efforts.”

Ahmed Abdelaal 

Central States has named Ahmed Abdelaal to the new role of Vice President of Engineering and Operations for the Central States Building Works division. Ahmed will lead the group’s technical services including engineering, drafting, and detailing and will bring his know-how in automation, software, operations, and manufacturing to the business as preparations are made for the company’s new frame plant, planned to open in Springdale, Arkansas in the Spring of 2025. 

Ahmed brings almost three decades of industry experience working for some of the largest Pre-Engineered Metal Building (PEMB) companies in the United States and internationally.  He comes to Central States after spending the initial 11 years of his career at American Buildings Company (now Nucor) and Butler Manufacturing Company (now BlueScope Steel), where he held leadership positions in engineering and project management.  For the last 12 years, Ahmed has served global companies by building out factories and technical capabilities in executive operations roles.

“We are excited to welcome Ahmed to the team," said Jennifer Davis, President of Central States Building Works. "He has an outstanding track record driving technical excellence, assembling high-performing teams, and leading growth in the metal buildings industry.” 

Melissa Eobbins & Derrick Harris

Spartan Investment Group, a Colorado-based privately held real estate investment firm specializing in the self-storage industry, has announced that FreeUp Storage, the national banner under which Spartan manages its 62-property portfolio, has hired Melissa Robbins as the Vice President of Marketing and Derrick Harris as the Vice President of Operations. In her new role as Vice President of Marketing, Robbins will direct the brand’s marketing strategy. As the Vice President of Operations, Harris will continue the growth of the company’s infrastructure across various business units. READ MORE

Jigisha Desai & Scott Deakin

Central States, Inc.has announced the appointment of Jigisha Desai and Scott Deakin to its board of directors. Desai is the former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial and Strategy Officer of Granite Construction Company. Deakin is the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer  of Gypsum Management & Supply, Inc. Their election brings the number  of Central States Directors to six as the 100% employee-owned company leverages  outside ideas and thought partnerships to positively impact its employee owners. READ MORE.

Robbie Smith

Drive-Up Storage has hired Robbie Smith as the new executive vice president of self-storage. With more than 20 years of experience in customer service and client facing roles, including serving as director of special accounts at Storage Asset Management (SAM), Smith brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Drive-Up Storage. As executive vice president, he will oversee the Drive-Up Storage team, manage day-to-day operations across the portfolio, optimize property performance, and spearhead the expansion into third-party management. “[Robbie's] extensive experience and proven track record in the self-storage industry make him the perfect fit for our company as we continue to grow and expand our property management division," said Chris Spagnuolo, Drive-Up Storage’s executive vice president of property management.

Hal H. Tanner, III

Hal H. Tanner, III, a licensed real estate professional for Midcoast Properties, Inc., has been elected to the North Carolina Self Storage Association (NCSSA) Board of Directors. Tanner, who’s been with Midcoast Properties since 2020, has more than 30 years of business experience, including executive leadership roles that have contributed to his success in the commercial real estate field. Throughout his career, he has served on numerous industry and local community boards in leadership positions. Eager to share his experience, knowledge, and relationships with NCSSA members, Tanner’s also committed to the board’s mission of continuously improving the value NCSSA members receive from the association. An avid hunter and fisherman, Tanner resides in Goldsboro, N.C., with his family and two dogs. He can be reached at Hal@MidcoastProperties.com.

Chimane Boyd

The Tennessee Self Storage Association recently recognized Chimane Boyd for her exceptional contributions that have enhanced the performance and customer service standards at the facility she manages by presenting her with its 2023 Property Manager of the Year award. Boyd, who serves as the property manager for Citizen Storage Management’s Titus Road facility in Memphis, Tenn., exceeds the award criteria by demonstrating “outstanding commitment to leadership, creativity, operational efficiency, and community involvement.” Under Boyd’s management, the facility has experienced revenue growth and maintained high occupancy rates and low delinquency rates. 

Alex Zhou

SpareBox Storage, sponsored by Rizk Ventures, recently hired Alex Zhou as its vice president of revenue management and marketing. He was recruited by Real8 Group, a national real estate and self-storage executive search firm. Zhou, who most recently served as vice president of revenue management and data science at Simply Self Storage, will help SpareBox expand by maximizing revenue and analyzing opportunities.

Matt Rundall

SpareBox Technologies, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rizk Ventures, has appointed Matt Rundall as chief technology officer. Rundall brings a wealth of IT and technology experience to the new company.

Jackson Stevens

SpareBox Technologies, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rizk Ventures, has appointed Jackson Stevens as CEO. He most recently spent more than three years as director of operations at SpareBox Storage, where he helped successfully develop and implement tech-focused management solutions. Stevens will now lead SpareBox Technologies in bringing these solutions to self-storage owners, operators, and managers nationwide.

“It is a privilege to embark on this new chapter with SpareBox Technologies and to have the opportunity to continue to build upon the strong foundation we established at SpareBox Storage,” said Stevens. “It's time to bring the self-storage industry into the future, and I know that SpareBox Technologies will have a prominent role in doing so.”

Scott Worden

Scott Worden has joined StorSuite as director of business development and co-founder of the company. He will be responsible for driving the company’s growth by identifying new business opportunities, developing and maintaining strong relationships with clients, and spearheading strategic partnerships. Prior to StorSuite, he was the director of business development for CallPotential. Before that he served as business development representative for PTI Security Systems and business development manager at OpenTech Alliance.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Scott to the StorSuite team. His extensive knowledge and experience in the self-storage industry will play a pivotal role in supporting our growth initiatives,” says Christina Alvino, founder of FineView Marketing and StorSuite CEO and Co-founder.

“I am excited to join the innovative StorSuite team and look forward to leveraging our collective expertise to foster stronger owner relationships within the industry. Together, we will pioneer new avenues of growth and create lasting value for our partners and clients,” says Worden.

Jacob Copper

Following Terry Campbell’s retirement this week, Jacob Copper will take over as the new CEO of Copper Storage Management (CSM) on Feb. 2. Copper, who earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina and a master’s degree from North Carolina State University, most recently spent three years as a business-recruitment manager for Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. 

“Copper Storage Management has achieved remarkable success under Terry’s leadership, and I am honored to build upon that legacy as the new CEO,” Copper said. “I am excited to work with our exceptional team to drive the next phase of our growth, delivering innovative solutions and unparalleled service to our customers as we continue to elevate the standards of the industry.”

Matt Clark

Matt Clark, StorSafe’s director of operations, has been elected to the Illinois Self Storage Association’s (ILSSA) board of directors. During the two-year term, Clark will play pivotal role in advocating for and advancing the self-storage industry within Illinois by addressing the specific needs of the state’s self-storage community. His responsibilities will include lobbying for positive changes in the industry, informing professionals about key state-level issues, and contributing to the overall growth and development of the self-storage sector.
“Matt’s vast experience and deep commitment to the self-storage industry make him an invaluable asset not only to our team but to the broader community. His leadership and vision will be instrumental in driving forward both legislative and operational advancements,” said Tom Bretz, StorSafe CEO. 

Zackary Nagel

William Hyatt

Jon Montgomery

Investment Real Estate, LLC has brought in Jon Montgomery as Revenue Manager. Jon has a Master's Degree in Accounting and continues to grow his analytical skills by taking courses in DAX coding and Power BI. "We are grateful to have his knowledge and experience on the team," IRE wrote on their LinkedIn announcement.

Tom Kilko Jr.

Investment Real Estate, LLC has promoted Tom Kilko, Jr. from Development & Construction Manager to Director of Construction & Development. "Tom has shown a tremendous amount of leadership and innovative thinking which has made him an integral part of the construction team," wrote IRE on their LinkedIn page.

Neal Gussis

Neal Gussis has been named Executive Director of Strat Property Management Inc.'s new capital markets division, SPMI Capital. Neal will be responsible for securing debt and equity for the SPMI’s privately owned portfolio and providing loan-advisory services to other self-storage investors. Most recently, Neal served as co-founding principal at CCM Commercial Mortgage providing debt and equity solutions for commercial real estate investment clients nationwide, with a focus on self storage. “As we have grown our real estate portfolio during the past 25 years, we have consistently looked to Neal and his companies to secure debt for us. Since the early 1990s, we have relied on his group to source debt on countless self-storage transactions and, together, we have experienced and navigated through several capital market cycles,” said Don Clauson, CEO of SPMI. “It is an honor to have him as part of our SPMI team and to launch our new SPMI Capital division.” Neal is a frequent contributor to Modern Storage Media.

Scott Sebring

Highline Storage Partners, an affiliate of Highline Real Estate Partners, has hired storage veteran Scott Sebring as COO. Sebring, who has 20 years of self-storage operating experience, previously served as vice president of operations at Simply Self Storage, where he was integral to building the operating business from its acquisition by Brookfield for $750 million to its sale to Blackstone and National Storage Affiliates for $2.5 billion just four years later. He continued his operations leadership with Blackstone from its purchase of Simply in 2020 for $1.25 billion through its sale to Public Storage in 2023 for $2.2 billion. Prior to Simply, Sebring spent 13 years at Public Storage, starting as district manager and ending as divisional vice president, where he oversaw 270 stores and led a team of 500 people in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Scott Levy

Highline Storage Partners, an affiliate of Highline Real Estate Partners, has hired storage veteran Scott Levy as CIO. Levy brings 17 years of self-storage experience and 20 years of real estate experience to Highline. He was most recently executive vice president of investments at Simply Self Storage, where he ran external growth initiatives and executed $475 million of acquisitions in two years. Before Simply, Levy spent 15 years with CubeSmart Self Storage, where he was senior vice president of investments, in addition to holding various other roles within the corporate finance and asset management functions. Scott has executed over $5 billion of self-storage acquisition, disposition, development, and joint venture transactions throughout his career.

Chris Riley, Jr.

The Investment Real Estate Group of Companies (IREGC) has promoted Chris Riley, Jr., to asset manager. In January, Riley began working at IRE as an asset project manager; he’ll now be responsible for overseeing and managing the company’s capital expenditures program, including developing and executing comprehensive asset management strategies, ensuring the efficient utilization of resources, and the timely execution of all capital expenditures across the Moove In Self Storage portfolio.

Lisa Ritt

The Investment Real Estate Group of Companies (IREGC) has promoted Lisa Ritt to facilities services manager. Ritt, who joined IRE as the facilities and construction coordinator nine months ago, will be responsible for the management, enhancement, and maintenance of IRE’s headquarters as well as providing assistance with the capital expenditure process for all new and existing Moove In Self Storage locations. 

Jessica Mania

Real estate investment veteran Jessica Mania has been hired by Colliers Mortgage, the debt financing arm of Colliers. Prior to joining, Mania, vice president of research and marketing, spent 2.5 years as the director of research and marketing at George Smith Partners (GSP), where she led the research department in providing due diligence and market intelligence integral to all transactions and spearheaded the firm’s marketing efforts that led to GSP being one of the most recognized commercial real estate brands in Los Angeles.

Tommy Adelson

Colliers Mortgage, the debt financing arm of Colliers, has hired real estate investment veteran Tommy Adelson. Adelson, vice president of transactions, brings more than a decade of real estate debt and equity experience to his position. He most recently served as a director at Institutional Property Advisors (IPA), where he sourced and closed permanent, construction, and bridge debt, as well as preferred and joint venture equity. Adelson’s previous experience was gained as vice president at George Smith Partners.

Nick Anderson

Nick Anderson has joined the Lindsey Self Storage Group as a broker in the firm’s Minnesota office. He graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with engineering and mathematics degrees, then spent five years selling multi-million-dollar electrical systems in the utility space. Anderson, who has experience facilitating self-storage and real estate transactions, uses attention to detail and a numbers-oriented approach to drive informed decisions for his clients. He can be reached at nick@lindseyselfstoragegroup.com.

Derrick Girouard

Great American Storage, a developer/operator of boat and RV, condo and traditional self-storage facilities, has hired Derrick Girouard as director of construction. He’ll oversee all new development and expansion projects for the company’s national portfolio. Girouard has more than a decade of construction experience and has managed the development of more than 1 million square feet of self-storage, exceeding a total value of $56 million. He was previously the director of construction operations for self-storage development firm DXD Capital. Prior to that, he was a project manager for JEM Group LLC, a general contracting firm. Additionally, Girouard is a combat veteran. During his service, he was a firefighter and medic. “We're thrilled to welcome Derrick to the Great American Storage team,” said CEO David Gandolfo. “His extensive construction experience, leadership capabilities and dedication to excellence will be invaluable as we continue expanding our national footprint.”

Brad Koch

Brad Koch has joined 10 Federal as Vice President of Development. With over 20 years of experience, Brad brings a wealth of expertise to lead the development and construction teams. Prior to joining 10 Federal, Brad served as the Vice President of Development at Brookfield Properties, where he successfully developed residential MPCs, multifamily, and SFR communities. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from Southern Illinois University and an MBA from George Mason University. 

Cody Lopez

Cody Lopez has become MakoRabco’s new regional sales manager for the Southwest territory. Lopez joins the sales team after serving as a project manager for the company since 2019. He has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Greenville University and an MBS in project management from Ashford University. 

“My construction management experiences over the past six years have prepared me to work alongside our developer partners to help their plans become reality,” says Lopez. “I look forward to sharing my knowledge and experience with our clients. The mentorship I have received from Mako’s founder leaders Caesar, James, and Robert, and our current executive leadership team, has given me a deep appreciation for our clients and their needs. I’m honored to continue in their legacy of a focused approach to relationships, providing high-quality customer service, and executing on our vision of being the best metal building option for the storage industry.”

Nick Maslauski

Nick Maslauski has been promoted to vice president of acquisitions and strategic analytics at StorSafe Self Storage. A distinguished alumnus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Maslauski has streamlined the self-storage underwriting process for StorSafe through the integration of technology and automation. He was also instrumental in assisting StorSafe’s acquisitions team with the closure of two acquisitions this year. Prior to joining StorSafe, Maslauski was with Ameritus, where his contributions resulted in the acquisition of more than $67 million in property value. 

StorSafe CEO Tom Bretz says, “Nick brings a wealth of expertise, innovative strategies, and a transformative approach that resonates with our core values and vision. Nick’s remarkable ability to leverage technology and automation in refining the underwriting process is instrumental in accelerating our acquisitions and facilitating seamless transactions. We’re excited about him driving StorSafe’s mission to deliver exceptional value to our investors and continuous advancements in the self-storage industry.”

Jim Reinhart

MakoRabco has appointed Jim Reinhart as Chief Executive Officer. In the construction industry, Mr. Reinhart has distinguished himself through executive leadership roles, notably as the COO of QTS Realty Trust, a premier REIT in the data center sector. Previously, Mr. Reinhart was CEO and President of The Ygrene Energy Fund and National Credit Care. For over twenty years, he has worked with investors and private equity sponsors and has elevated portfolio company performance by building industry-leading capabilities.  A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Mr. Reinhart holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Masters in microelectronics from University of Maryland.

Dixie Zuger

Boardwalk Development Group LLC (BDG), a private-equity investment company focused on self-storage, has promoted Dixie Zuger to director of development and asset management. Zuger joined the company six years ago as an assistant property manager, then became an area manager. As director of operations, she oversaw a team of 22 property managers and 26 self-storage facilities. Zuger has been instrumental in BDG’s growth and staff development. She specializes in employee training and company procedures.

Virginia “Ginny” Thress

The Investment Real Estate Group of Companies (IREGC) has hired Virginia “Ginny” Thress as the company’s new human resources manager. Thress earned both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration from Alvernia University. She’s also certified by the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) and the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI). She has worked as an HR coordinator for a wide variety of companies and teaches at her alma mater as an adjunct professor. 

As HR manager, Thress will manage compliance with all relevant laws and regulations, ensure the accurate and timely payment of employees, and guarantee effective management of the company’s benefits program. 

Doug Steverson

Doug Steverson, president of self-storage private-equity investment company Boardwalk Development Group LLC (BDG), has been named to the executive leadership team of Contractors, Closers & Connections (CCC). Steverson, who joined the firm in 2018 as director of acquisitions, was promoted to BDG president last month. He’s helped the company increase its real estate holdings by 600 percent and has been instrumental in the acquisition and disposition of more than $300 million in assets. Steverson began his career in commercial real estate in 2007 as an associate with brokerage firm NAI Brannen Goddard. Steverson, a former U.S. marine, earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Georgia State University.

Ibrahim Shamsi

Ibrahim Shamsi has assumed the position of Chief Operating Officer at Supply Side, a division of the Supply Side Group. In this role, he will be dedicated to furthering our organization’s mission through strategic management, operational expertise, and diligent stewardship. "I want to extend my sincere appreciation to Ansir Junaid, Chairman and CEO of Supply Side Group, for his unwavering trust and inspiring leadership throughout my career," says Shamsi.

David Allan

Apple Self Storage has announced the promotion of David Allan who will become the company's new president, taking over the position from Scott Allan effective October 1st 2023. David joined Apple Self Storage in 2014 and has been instrumental in the growth of the company that has seen square footage owned and managed more than quadruple over the last decade, positioning Apple Self Storage as one of the largest self storage providers in Canada. He is a respected industry leader and has been helping shape and direct the self storage industry in Canada and internationally. David also became a part owner of Apple Self Storage Management in 2018.

Beau Agnello

Go Store It has hired Beau Agnello as Chief Operating Officer. Agnello will leverage more than a decade of experience within the storage industry to lead GSI’s execution as a premier operator. With a focus on innovation, Agnello will bring key initiatives to support the next phase of GSI’s best-in-class performance. Agnello joins GSI from a privately held self-storage owner operator in the Midwest where he served as Head of Operations and Senior Vice President. Agnello also previously held a senior leadership role as Divisional Vice President at Extra Space Storage.

Kate Matheny

SpareBox Storage, the leading remote-managed operator in the self-storage industry, today appointed industry veteran, Kate Matheny as Chief Executive Officer. Matheny was previously Chief Financial and Chief Investment Officer of the Company and prior to this, was chief financial officer of an operator of self-storage properties with a 200-store portfolio in the Midwest and Southeast. Matheny, along with new COO Chuck James, have a long track record of successfully building value in the self-storage industry. Together, Matheny and James pioneered the use of automated storage operations. "I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to work closely with Kate – as well as our entire management team – for a long time and she is a world-class operator and leader with a dedicated track record of delivering success for a wide array of stakeholders," said James.

Chuck James

SpareBox Storage, the leading remote-managed operator in the self-storage industry, today appointed industry veteran and company co-founder Chuck James as President and Chief Operating Officer. James had been serving as Chief Executive Officer, a role that Kate Matheny, previously CFO, will now take on. James, together with Matheny, pioneered the use of automated storage operations. The Company is a joint venture between investment funds advised by Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP and Rizk Ventures. "Kate and Chuck are recognized leaders in the self-storage industry and we look forward to the future of the Company under their leadership," said Tom Rizk, chairman and founder of Rizk Ventures. "We believe in the dual growth strategy of consolidating high growth and underserved markets, and developing a best-in-class technology offering that will be rolled out across the broader industry. It’s an exciting time for SpareBox."

Chris Runckel

InSite Property Group has hired Chris Runckel as president of operations. Runckel, who has more than 30 years of experience in operations management, strategic planning, team leadership, and business development, will guide SecureSpace’s national expansion plan to add more than 30 facilities to the company’s portfolio through acquisition and development. He’ll also enhance existing scalable systems and processes, focus on long-term growth, and cultivate the company’s culture. Prior to joining SecureSpace, Runckel was COO of Andover Properties (Storage King USA brand) and held leadership positions with Life Storage Inc. for more than a decade.

Peter Spickenagel

Peter Spickenagel, CEO of Citizen Storage Management, was elected as chairman and president of the  Self Storage
Association of Michigan  (SSAM) on Aug. 16, 2023, along with six SSAM board members for the 2023 to 2024 term. 
Spickenagel has overseen operations for more than 95 storage facilities across the U.S. totaling 5.3 million rentable
square feet and 40,000-plus units. He is a frequent speaker at national conferences, providing advice on revenue
management, operational best practices, creative marketing, and the latest technology trends.

Garrett Markey

The Investment Real Estate Group of Companies (IREGC) has hired Garrett Markey as a senior financial analyst. Markey will be responsible for financial planning and budgeting processes, as well as analyzing financial statements for risk and opportunities and preparing projections for the company’s leadership and investors. Prior to joining IREGC, Markey worked as a financial analyst for a development company, where he prepared financial models and presentations and interpreted data for risks and trends. He received his bachelor’s degree in international business and management from Dickinson College.

Molly Welby

On Aug. 21, the Investment Real Estate Group of Companies (IREGC) announced the promotion of Molly Welby to
marketing brand manager. Welby, who joined IREGC in May 2022 as the marketing coordinator, will be responsible for
developing, implementing, and executing strategic marketing plans. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from
University of Maryland.