SmartStop Asset Management LLC, a Ladera Ranch, Calif.-based diversified real estate company that manages 118 self-storage facilities in Canada and the United States, has promoted James Barry to senior vice president of finance. He’ll also serve in the same capacity for Strategic Storage Trust II Inc. (SST II), a public, non-traded real estate investment trust (REIT) sponsored by SmartStop that focuses on income-producing self-storage facilities. Barry will be responsible for the management of budgets, forecasts and various financial analyses, according to a press release.
Barry formerly served in various financial capacities for SmartStop, including vice president of financial planning and analysis, director of finance, and financial analyst. Prior to joining the company, he served in analyst and accounting roles for Grubb & Ellis Co. and Thompson National Properties LLC. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from California State University at Fullerton, and an MBA with an emphasis in finance from Chapman University, where he graduated with honors.
“I am pleased to announce the promotion of James, who is a seasoned professional and a valuable member of our management team,” said H. Michael Schwartz, SmartStop’s founder, chairman and CEO. “We are excited to have him in this new role with SmartStop.”
In June, SmartStop promoted Gerald Valle to senior vice president of self-storage operations. Valle will oversee day-to-day governance of all the firm’s U.S. facilities branded as SmartStop Self Storage, including a team of 240 professionals.
SmartStop has approximately $1.5 billion of real estate under management, including five student-housing communities and three senior-housing communities. Its self-storage portfolio comprises about 8.5 million rentable square feet. It’s the sponsor of Strategic Storage Growth Trust Inc. and Strategic Storage Trust IV Inc., public non-traded REITs focused on self-storage assets. The SST II portfolio contains 83 storage facilities comprising 51,300 units and more than 6 million net rentable square feet.