Storage Post Self Storage recently hired Dylan Coyne as corporate controller at the companys headquarters in Atlanta. Coyne will be responsible for managing daily accounting functions, developing cost accounting and managing accounting staff.

Coyne has a background in financial project management and is knowledgeable about accounting processes within the construction industry, company officials said. Prior to joining Storage Post, Coyne worked for PCL Industrial Construction Co., Melloy Industrial Service Inc. and North American Construction Group.

"We were very particular in our search of a corporate controller, and we were pleased to find someone as skilled as Dylan Coyne," said Dylan Delaune, Storage Post's chief investment officer. "Our company is quickly growing, and every aspect of our finances and property management must be closely monitored and assessed for improvement. Dylan competently handles whatever comes his way despite the fast pace of Storage Post's growth."

The company currently operates self-storage locations in Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey and New York.

Powdersville Self Storage in Greenville, S.C., has partnered with Landscaper Supply Co. of Easley, S.C., to sponsor a free-meal program called Free Community Supper. The service offers free meals on the last Tuesday of every month through Powdersville First Baptist Church.

"The community meal ministry began last year and has been a great success, thanks to local partnerships," said Pastor Brad Atkins. "The purpose is for kids to learn about God after school, but it is available to anyone who would like to come."

For example, the program also assists single mothers who are members of Free Community Supper as well as Romanian children sponsored by the church, Powdersville Self Storage and Landscaper Supply.

Powdersville Self Storage also sponsored meals last year. The company is locally owned and operated, serving the communities of Easley, Greenville and Powdersville. The facility was voted Best of the Upstate five years in a row by readers of the Greenville News.

The Storage Group, an Internet-marketing company serving the self-storage industry, has expanded its Web-based products and services to the Canada market. Among the company's first Canadian clients will be Woody Leippi of Morwood Properties, who plans to break ground on his first self-storage facility this year in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

The Storage Group was launched in 2010 by principals Larry Hanks and Brian Pelski, who have more than 30 years of combined experience in self-storage investment, development and operation. That year the company began providing and deploying mobile-redirected websites for self-storage operations. In 2011, it introduced ClickandStor, a software platform that allows self-storage tenants to securely complete the move-in process from a computer or smartphone. 

The Storage Group is an Internet-marketing company providing online tools and marketing solutions to the self-storage industry. The company's customized services include mobile websites, website development, content management, search-engine optimization, pay-per-click marketing, and transparent reporting/analysis.

Lawai Cannery Self Storage Center in Kalaheo, Hawaii, recently hosted a community event to raise money for the Kauai Special Olympics. Forty-five vendors offered items for sale from available storage units.

The storage facility holds the garage sale events periodically to support local charities. Sundays event was so popular, event planners had to turn away vendors. There were a lot of people here and if we had more spaces, we would have had more vendors, said Neal Pigao, a representative for Lawai Cannery Self Storage.

Upcoming sale events include a benefit for the Waimea High School girls volleyball team on Sept. 23 and another for St. Theresa School on Nov. 18.

Lawai Cannery Self Storage Center is part of Super Space, which operates 34 storage facilities in California, one in Hawaii and one in Texas.

E-SoftSys, a provider of self-storage management software, announced it will extend its partnership with Kure It Cancer Research by donating an additional year of website design and maintenance. The company will also develop a mobile site for Kure It.

The two organizations began working together last year after Kat Shenoy, E-SoftSys president, and Barry Hoeven, founder of Kure It and owner of US Storage Centers, met through their mutual involvement in the self-storage industry. Shenoy had recently lost a brother to cancer and was impressed by Kure Its dedication to raise awareness and research dollars for underfunded cancers. Since 2007, Kure It has raised more than $1 million for research.

"Anyone who has met Barry and knows what he himself has gone through with cancer can understand why Kure It is such a special organization to support," Shenoy said. "Everyone in the self-storage industry should support worthy causes, and Kure It is one of the most efficiently run charity organizations I have come across. We will continue to support Kure It in whatever ways possible and spread the word about the cause throughout the industry."

The donation of services from E-SoftSys allows us to keep our website current and relevant, something that is out of reach for many nonprofits, said Karen Jones, Kure Its director. With the significant cost savings, we can direct more of our fundraising to cancer research.

E-SoftSys, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and ISO 9001:2008 certified company, provides software products for the self-storage industry, including Self Storage Manager and e-CRM. The company also offers add-on modules such as the INSOMNIAC kiosk interface, online payments, online reservations and rentals, the QlikView Business Intelligence and Analytics Interface, and the iPad/tablet-based Site Audit and Walk Through Application.

Storage Pros Management LLC, a provider of third-party management services to the self-storage industry, has made several staff promotions.

John D. Price III, who served as chief financial officer and senior vice president, will keep his CFO title but has been promoted to executive vice president, now responsible for the full breadth of company operations and performance. In his role as SVP, Price lead significant improvement in company performance and growth. His focus on revenue management and cost containment has materially benefitted the company's managed property portfolio, according to a press release.

"Johns contributions to building a strong financial infrastructure, coupled with his focus on cross-functional accountability and improvements, make his promotion a logical next step in SPMs evolution," said David Levenfeld, president and CEO. "I am confident that the company, its clients and its investors will benefit from Johns broadened focus.

In addition, Storage Pros made other strategic staff moves:

• Peter Spickenagel was promoted to senior district manager, with direct oversight of the companys district managers and field operations.
• Jeff Skogen will serve as vice president of sales and training, designing and implementing employee-development programs in addition to leading the acquisition of new properties.
• Liz Rogala was promoted to manager of marketing and corporate administration, responsible for designing and executing property-marketing programs.
• Kim OConnell will continue in her capacity as vice president and controller, with enhanced responsibilities for the companys accounting, reporting and cash-management functions.

Founded in 2007, Storage Pros Management operates 58 self-storage facilities in the Midwest, Northeast and Southeast, comprising more than 3.1 million square feet of storage space. The company offers property-management services to private equity funds, lending institutions and individual investors. Its platform is focused on leveraging economies of scale by aggregating multiple assets within each of its markets.

Virtus Real Estate Capital, an Austin, Texas-based private equity firm, recently purchased two self-storage facilities, one in Mississippi and the other in Ohio. Combined, the facilities offer 1,077 storage units. No financial terms were disclosed.

Virtus acquired Brandon Self-Storage, a 584-unit self-storage facility in Brandon, Miss. Originally constructed in 1976 with 10 traditional storage buildings, the previous owners added two buildings in 2003 containing 145 climate-controlled units.

The company also acquired Reynoldsburg Self-Storage, a 493-unit property offering 67,725 square feet of rentable space in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. The facility includes 155 outdoor parking spaces for vehicle storage. The sites original 10 buildings were constructed in 1992. A 67-unit, climate-controlled building was added in 2004.

Both facilities will be managed by Sovran Self-Storage, which manages several other Virtus properties, officials said. Sovran is a publicly traded self-storage real estate investment trust (REIT) that operates under the brand name Uncle Bobs Self Storage. The company owns and/or operates more than 400 self-storage facilities across the United States, encompassing more than 20 million square feet.

Since its inception in 2003, Virtus has acquired more than $1.65 billion in real estate assets, including more than $100 million in self-storage. The firm targets recession-resilient asset types in which demand is driven by demographic information.

Vertical Consultants, which represents landowners in negotiations regarding cell-tower lease transactions, is offering a free lease-buyout analysis that provides property owners, including owners of self-storage facilities, with a professional review of buyout offers for their cell-tower leases.

Available via Vertical-Consultants.com, the analysis is a tool to help property owners receive the maximum value for their cell-tower leases, addressing issues  such as tax implications, easements and split rents. Each analysis is prepared by an experienced team of telecom consulting experts.

Requests for the companys free lease-buyout analysis have dramatically increased due to the staggering amount of buyout offers across the nation, according to a press release. Property owners nationwide are seeking professional advice to gain full benefits within their lease-buyout transactions.  

Founded in 2010 by Hugh Odom, Vertical Consultants is comprised of a group of wireless-industry veterans with more than 40 years of combined experience. The company specializes in issues surrounding the wireless-telecom industry, providing property owners with the information they need to make decisions regarding their cell-tower lease agreements.

The company also helps self-storage owners recoup unpaid and underpaid rent from wireless providers. Areas of expertise include telecom-site acquisition and development, lease negotiation, and the legal issues surrounding such transactions.