M. Anne Ballard

Universal Storage Group

Anne Ballard is President of Marketing, Training, & Developmental Services for Universal Storage Group and known industry-wide as The Hat Lady for her variety of headwear. Anne has served on the SSA Board of Directors and is a two-term Past President of the Georgia Self Storage Association and a current board member. A frequent speaker at state, national, and international conferences, Anne is also the author of The Hat Lady Speaks, Marketing and Managing Self Storage, and numerous articles for industry magazines and The Self Storage Almanac, Development Handbook, and others over the last 32 years. She founded Universal Management Company in Atlanta in 1993 and is now an owner and partner in Universal Storage Group. She handles facility planning, feasibility studies, design, startups and operational consulting, and training. Universal manages over 75 facilities nationwide and consulting services for an additional 22 properties. Universal has won 13 Facility of the Year awards and over 10 ISS Best of Business Awards.

Mark Cieri

StorageDefender

Mark Cieri is CEO and Co-founder of StorageDefender, a self storage smart technology company and the pioneer of personal smart units-as-a-service. Known for his vision and passion, Mark has a long tenure in high-tech companies as an accomplished global technology business leader and entrepreneur. He has held senior executive leadership positions at high-growth Fortune 500 companies, tech start-ups, and corporate ventures. Prior to StorageDefender, Mark was Vice President and General Manager at Philips Lighting Corporation where he built a leading smart home business in North America. Mark's educational background includes a BS in Engineering, an MBA, and an impressive portfolio of more than 12 patents.

Damon Emerson

StorSuite

Damon Emerson is a seasoned professional with 16 years of experience in the self storage industry, having embarked on his career at U-Store-It (now Cubesmart). He developed the U-Store-It Network, a lead-generating marketing program.

Over the span of a decade, Damon played a pivotal role in expanding the Northeast sector of the United States for StorSmart tenant insurance, StorSmart Bader, and later, Storable. In December 2021, Damon assumed the position of CEO and partner at Storage Shield Tenant Protection, advocating for transparency and reshaping perceptions of tenant protection programs.

In January 2024, Damon took on the role of Divisional Vice President at StorSuite, a result of a strategic merger that seamlessly blended the strengths and expertise of several distinguished storage companies: Storage Shield, FineView Marketing, Pinnacle Storage Properties, Pinnacle Storage Managers, and Phyrem. This collective endeavor stands as a testament to a shared commitment to innovation, customer-centric solutions, and industry leadership.

Damon strives to clarify the distinctions between tenant insurance and protection programs while offering his expertise to anyone seeking guidance in the storage sector. He also currently serves as a board member for both the Northeast Self Storage Association (NeSSA) and the Pennsylvania Self Storage Association (PASSA).

Jim Mooney

Freedom Storage Management

Jim Mooney joined Freedom Storage Management in January 2019 as an owner and operator focusing on the day-to-day operations. He currently oversees 27 facilities, with a few of them being 3^rd party managed. He was formerly a Vice President of Devon Self Storage and has held many different positions in that organization.

Known as one of the modernizers of self storage processes, Jim leverages 20+ years of storage experience to constantly improve the performance of their portfolio of properties. One of his favorite phases is, “Wanting employees to work smarter, not harder.”

Jim is currently President of the Pennsylvania Self Storage Association and was previously a member of the Maryland SSA board.
 
He has been a speaker, moderator, and panelist at numerous industry conventions and conferences, and is a frequent contributor to industry publications. Jim has also been the previous keynote speaker at both Eastern and Western Canadian Conferences.

David A. Richman

Talcott Mountain Self-Storage

As a seasoned business professional and entrepreneur, David began in the employee benefits industry in 1981 as a life and health broker. He co-founded the 5th largest independent agency in Connecticut, which was eventually acquired by a public company in 2006. David later diversified his portfolio by establishing a successful business brokerage firm, where he orchestrated negotiations and sales exceeding $60,000,000 in business transactions.

Thanks to a lifelong pursuit in real estate investment, David cultivated a robust portfolio encompassing 18 properties ranging from apartments and warehouses to office buildings, restaurants, and self storage facilities. Through hands-on management, he’s navigated the intricacies of property dealings, learning valuable lessons from both triumphs and setbacks. David constructed and later sold his first self storage facility in 2007, before going on to acquire, improve, and sell an additional location in 2012. He recently ventured once again into ground-up construction, culminating in the establishment of Talcott Mountain Self-Storage in 2022, a state-of-the-art facility featuring 470 units, climate control, and outdoor storage.

Originally from West Hartford, Connecticut, operating businesses in his home state has been a rewarding professional journey. David cherishes spending time with his family, skiing, hiking, and contributing back to his community.