Vegas Conference & Trade Show Preview Inside… FOUNDATION VOL. 11, NO. 6 JUNE 2012 ISSUE $8.00 / ANNUAL $96 THE OFFICIAL VOICE OF THE SELF STORAGE INDUSTRY Where On Earth Do People Store Their Stuff? EUROPEAN SURVIVAL CANADIAN UPRISE SSA’S GLOBAL REACH P. 8 P.14 P.22 FOUNDATION June 2012 Published for the SSA by the Self Storage Association Foundation DEPARTMENTS Special International Issue Viewpoint ..................... 4 Europe V3 2011_Layout 1 25/08/2011 14:58 Page 1 4 … Viewpoint SSA Education ................ 26 SSA president Michael Scanlon says the storage industry Data Depot. 32 needs to find common ground internationally. Legal Q & A .................. 35 … Survival Skills 8 SSA Value & Education Course ....37 Europe’s self storage industry is bucking economic headwinds while eyeing potential. State Association News ..........47 14 … Steady As She Goes Around Self Storage. ........... 59 Business north of the border is doing well for American and Globe Advertisers ...............61 Canadian companies. Last Impressions .............. 62 20 …SSA Forges Ties With Japan The SSA and the Rental Storage Association of Japan have agreed to work together in coming years. 22 … Foreign Affairs SSA membership director Stacey Loflin spearheads Association’s international expansion. 26 …The International Language of Storage Thanks to social media and the Internet, the storage industry is able to communicate globally. 28 … Fall Conference & Trade Show Preview Economic Summit at Forefront in Las Vegas Operators and vendors will learn how to successfully grow their businesses. Publisher The SSA Globe is published by the Art Director Michael T. Scanlon, Jr. Self Storage Association Foundation Jan Sklennik [email protected] 1901 N. Beauregard Street, Suite 450 Alexandria, VA 22311 Staff Writers Executive Editor Phone 703.575.8000 Timothy J. Dietz Tom Comi, Tim Dietz [email protected] ©Copyright 2012 by the SSA Foundation. SSA and SSA Globe are trade- Stacey Loflin, Erin Morr marks of the Self Storage Association, Inc. D. Carlos Kaslow, Scott Zucker Advertising Sales Opinions expressed by authors and other contributors do not Contributors Tom Comi necessarily reflect those of the publisher or editors, nor do [email protected] they represent the policy or positions of the SSA. Information John Dunlap, Mark Wright contained within articles should not be construed as the Laura Williams-Tracy primary basis for legal or investment decisions. www.self storage.org VIEWPOINT 2012: Year of the Dragon By Michael T. Scanlon, Jr. – SSA President & CEO The Chinese New Year is based on a 12-year cycle of animals SSA Staff that appear in the Chinese Zodiac. The Dragon is the only animal in the cycle that is “legendary.” Therefore, a Year Michael T. Scanlon Jr. President & CEO of the Dragon is considered the luckiest year in the cycle. [email protected] Recently, we received an email from China indicating interest in establishing a China Self Storage Association. Timothy J. Dietz I do not want to press our luck, but on behalf of the SSA I Sr. Vice President Communications & Gov’t Relations am pursuing this interest. Why? Because I firmly believe [email protected] that they can learn something from our experience, and we can learn some- thing from their situation. In addition, I believe that American vendor-member Mike Blackett companies can provide a wealth of tried and true products and services to the Vice President burgeoning industry in a country with more than 1.3 billion people. Operations [email protected] The self storage industry has rapidly expanded worldwide. There are more than 8,000 facilities outside the Unites States. At the outset, our magazine, SSA Derek Knights Globe, may have been named with an overly ambitious eye to the future. Little Vice President did we know eight years ago when the SSA formally launched the magazine Finance & Administration that it really would circle the globe in terms of circulation. Today, the SSA has [email protected] direct members in more than 20 nations on six continents (nothing on Antarc- Stacey Loflin tica yet). We have established working alliances with associations representing Director Canada, Europe, Latin America, Japan, Asia and Australia. (In fact, I have the Membership & Marketing distinct honor of speaking to the upcoming 2012 Australia-Asia convention [email protected] in Sydney in August.) Although economic circumstances and the business environment may differ Tom Comi Director, Advertising Sales considerably from nation to nation, and the cultural differences are quite [email protected] distinct, there are common issues within the worldwide self storage industry that tend to bring us together. Whether it’s construction, computer software, Jennifer L. Pettigrew marketing, manager training or unit mix planning, there are many industry Director, Registration, issues that easily span the oceans and overlap national boundaries. Vendor & Sponsorship Relations [email protected] At the intersection of business cultures and at the specific points where inno- vation meets a new challenge, that is where we can all learn something. Yes, Erin Morr emerging self storage nations can certainly learn from our decades of trial Director and error in the American experience, but we too can learn from others as to Learning & Social Media Networking [email protected] how their unique challenges are being overcome in the process of launching a new industry. For example, how is the industry in Japan marketing itself to Cologne Hunter a culture known for its minimalism? How is the industry in China evolving in Director a country where economic growth rates are three to four times what they are State Association Management [email protected] in the United States? Certainly the challenges of keeping up with demand for self storage in these Patricia Fratarcangelo two nations will be different from the American experience of knocking down Director State Association Management another cornfield to put up a new facility (as many did in the 1990s and early [email protected] 2000s). The challenges of limited space on the one hand in Japan and the massive population and fast-growing urbanization on the other in China will D. Carlos Kaslow, Esq. force owner/operators in those Pacific Rim powers to innovate in ways that General Counsel we never have. Therein lies a reason and an opportunity for us to learn from [email protected] the association alliances the SSA is now forming. You never know—in this Year of the Dragon, maybe we’ll get lucky and be invited to a self storage trade mission to Beijing. Want to come along? v PAGE 4 SSA GLOBE JUNE 2012 Location: Store America LLC, Camillus, NY Intuitive. Efficient. Resourceful and Performance-Based. And that’s just her Syrasoft management software... From the moment a new customer walks through your door, every aspect of your operation should reflect the highest level of service, professionalism and efficiency. Similarly, your management software should provide your staff with a powerful tool to process and maintain your customers with speed and precision. This is why Syrasoft management software continues to lead the industry with more features and functions specifically designed to make your entire operation run smoothly and profitably. You see, each of us at Syrasoft believes that we’re much more than just a software company... PA-DSS Certified Payment Application. we’re part of your success. Customer Online Payments & Reservations Syrasoft... Solutions Beyond the Software. 800.817.7706 www.syrasoft.com SSA Board of Directors Patrick J. Reilly Chairman Kelly Gallacher Brenda Scarborough J.R. Clisham Vice Chairman Secretary Treasurer Terry Bagley, John Barry, Lisa Chiappetta Mitchell Danzis, Jim DiNardo, Shelley Geiler, Michael Riva, Marc M. Smith D. Carlos Kaslow, Esq., Michael T. Scanlon Jr. SSA Foundation S S A F e Industry’s 501c-3 Charitable / Educational Organization SSA Foundation Board of Governors Phyllis McArthur & Michael Nunez Co-Chairs Foy R. Cooley, Joanne Geiler, John Gilliland, Tim Hobin, Barry Hoeven, William F. Kenney, Maurice Pogoda, Robert Schoff, Marc M. Smith, Kenneth M. Woolley Mission It shall be the Mission of the SSAF to provide timely, accurate industry information, communication and exceptional educational experiences for SSA members and owner-operators and investors across the United States and in affili- ated nations. The SSAF will sponsor an “SSA Foundation Forum,” a general session executive education program, at both national SSA conferences and conventions on topical and cutting-edge topics of interest to the industry at-large. Also, SSAF will provide information, education and training as to the SSA-adopted “Code of Ethics” and by promoting respect for the anti-trust laws of the United States and foreign nations that must be adhered to by all companies involved in this industry. The Board of the Foundation is authorized to recognize accomplishments, achievements and significant landmarks within the industry, including serving as the Nominating Body of persons to the SSA Board for annual induction into the Self Storage “Hall of Fame.” The Board of the Foundation may from time to time acknowl- edge persons both inside and outside the industry who have contributed to the betterment of the industry by way of special awards and recognitions. Also, the SSAF will make charitable contributions to worthy causes, efforts and for educational purposes on behalf