FSSA 2017 Conference & EXPO 

Registration is officially open for FSSA's annual conference and tradeshow!

With new dates and a new schedule, we are continuing to take your feedback and turn it into a reality. Join us to hear from such speakers as Jeffrey Greenberger, Carol Mixon-Krendl, David Blum, Chris Marr, and many more. In addition to diverse educational sessions, there will be a tradeshow hall, breakout sessions, and an exciting, fun-filled reception hall.

Registration will also be available onsite beginning at 8:00 AM on Wednesday, February 22nd.

Wednesday, February 22, 2017 - Pre-Conference Programs & Exhibitor Set-Up

8:00 AM - Registration, Coffee/Tea
Those staying at the Embassy Suites enjoy complimentary buffet breakfast in the hotel's breakfast area. Bring your hotel key card for access.

9:00 AM - 3:30 PM -  What You Don't Know Will Hurt You: Auditing Your Facility and the Big Legal Mistakes You Didn't Know You Were Making (additional registration fee)

• 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM - Auditing to Improve Operations and Detect Theft with Carol Mixon-Krendl, SkilCheck
  Self storage properties are very vulnerable to employee theft. Most owners are not visiting the properties often enough, setting policies and procedures that can help detect theft, and typically aren't even aware of how an employee can steal. Carol will discuss:
  -The most vulnerable times of the year
  -The most common embezzlement techniques
  -Danger signs of employee theft
  -Importance of specific policies and procedures that will help deter theft
  -Checking for compliance of procedures
  -Examples of data manipulation
  This fast-paced session will give you a good working knowledge of how to deter, detect, and prevent theft.
• 12:00 - 1:00 PM - Lunch
• 1:00 - 2:30 PM - Six Mistakes to Fix as Soon as You Get Home with Jeffrey Greenberger, Greenberger & Brewer, LLP
  Our speaker has taken a look his years of self storage experience to come up are with six mistakes he sees operators making every day that need to be fixed if you are making them. Jeff will provide easy fixes you can enact when you leave the conference, which can help you avoid a large amount of legal liability. If you have never seen Jeff speak before, he is an attorney who can distill complicated legal concepts into understandable and usable information, and he is also accidentally funny.
• 2:30 - 3:30 PM - Discussion and Q&A with Carol and Jeffrey

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM - FSSA 2017 Developers Seminar: A Road to Success (additional registration fee)
Organized and moderated by David Blum, Better Management Systems
Panelists include Terry Campbell of Live Oak Bank, Gary Carland of PTI Security Systems, Ken Carlson of Ken Carlson Architect, Jeanne Dotson of The Storage Group, Richard Lillie of Janus International, Carlos Lorenzo of Kaufman Lynn Construction, Guy Middlebrooks of CubeSmart, Ashton Rowles of Colliers International, and Traci Scheppske of Keith & Associates Consulting Engineers

This seminar will provide a step-by-step road map for first-time individuals looking to build a self storage project. From site selection to management and every step in between, hear from the experts and see what the process entails. Bring questions as the last half hour or so will be devoted to an open Q&A for all panel speakers.

2:00 - 7:00 PM - Exhibitor Set-Up

3:30 - 4:00 PM - Annual Business Meeting

5:00 PM - Belly Up the the Embassy Suites Bar
If you are staying at the Embassy Suites, be sure to bring your hotel key card for free drinks at the bar near the breakfast area. Drinks at the lobby bar can also be purchased.

Thursday, February 23, 2017 - Conference & EXPO

7:30 AM - Registration, Coffee/Tea

8:30 AM - Welcome and Opening Remarks

9:00 AM - The Times They are A-Changing with Christopher P. Marr, CubeSmart
This year's State of the Industry keynote speaker will discuss the potential impact of regulatory, consumer, economic, and supply trends on the self storage industry, with a specific focus on the implications for Florida owners, operators, and developers.

10:15 - 11:15 AM - Roundtables Session (attend three)

• Automating Your Lien Sale Process - Jeffrey Greenberger, Greenberger & Brewer, LLP
• Beyond the Sale: How to Bring a Magical Experience to Your Customers - Stephanie Tharpe, A Plus Storage
• Collection Efforts Made Simple - Jim Mooney, Devon Self Storage Holdings
• Getting Rid of Pesky Tenants - Carol Mixon-Krendl, SkilCheck
• A Guide to SBA Financing for the Self Storage Industry - Terry Campbell, Live Oak Bank
• How to Generate Additional Revenue in a Time of Highly Occupied, Non-Expandable Facilities - Blake Robinson, Janus International
• Marketing to Millennials - Cheli Rosa, StorageStuff.Bid
• Multi-Story Building Steel Construction - Ron Sewell, The Sewell Group
• Security Marketing System: Leveraging Your Access Control System as a Competitive Differentiator - Jon Loftin, PTI Security Systems
• Tenant Insurance: Including an Internal Insurance Audit at Your Facilities - Chuck Dodge, Bader Company
• Tools and Ideas to Help Manage Across Multiple Locations - Jon Loftin, OpenTech Alliance
• What to Expect from a Market Feasibility Study - David Blum, Better Management Systems

11:15 AM - 12:15 PM - Breakout Session (attend one)

• So You Want to Sell Your Property - Carol Mixon-Krendl, SkilCheck
  This 60-minute session with Carol will help you learn to effectively make your investment healthy and in-demand for buyers, create policies and procedures to improve management and revenue, and clean up your lien and delinquent accounts. Discuss how to improve your business value and sale price as well as how important areas will improve the curb appeal of your property. Finally, Carol will help you learn how to review your monthly expenses for unnecessary costs and how to find a good business broker.
• Tricks and Trades for the Everyday Operator - Mark Poole, Liberty Investment Properties
  Looking for ways to run your storage facility more efficiently? Come join us as we explore tips, tricks, and tools to improve everyday operations. This session is an excellent resource for any manager or operator. Fresh perspectives include rate management, workflow, team communication, customer strategies, and simple tools you can use starting today.

12:00 - 1:00 PM - Lunch

12:30 - 3:30 PM - Exhibit Hall

3:45 - 5:00 PM - Breakout Session (attend one)

• Overtime and Your Employees - Jeffrey Greenberger, Greenberger & Brewer, LLP
  Regardless of whether the new Obama Administration Overtime Rules go into effect or not, overtime is sticky business. Who is exempt, who is not, when you have to pay overtime, and how to avoid it are not simple questions. Join Jeff Greenberger for an up-to-the-minute update on the proposed new rules and the rules you still have to follow regardless.
• Disaster Prep: Better Safe Than Sorry - Panelists Brian Bogdanoff of Insurance Office of America, Danny Creamer of JMWilliams Contractors, Lainie Miller of Sentry Self Storage, and moderator Scott Kelly of StoreRight Self Storage
  Every day we run the risk of encountering the unexpected, whether it's a natural disaster or a man-made mishap. The sad fact of the matter is that some sort of disaster is going to effect each and every one of us one day. The only thing you can do is be prepared. So the question is... are you?
  

5:00 - 7:00 PM - Reception
Join us for an entertaining evening with food, cocktails, games, and extra time to network.

Friday, February 24, 2017 - Conference Breakouts

8:00 - 8:50 AM - Breakout Session (attend one)

• How Can Self Storage Capitalize on IoE - Jon Loftin, OpenTech Alliance
  Just as broadband and the Internet has been a critical enabler of economic growth over the past few decades, the Internet of Everything (IoE) has the capability of creating many new opportunities that self storage owners and operators should consider. The IoE is made up many different connections, including Machine-to-Machine, People-to-People, Machine-to-People, and Internet of Things. In a recent report, Cisco estimates that IoE has the potential to generate $14.4 trillion in value for the private sector world-wide. An IoE solution has the potential to drive operational and customer experience benefits that can result in both cost savings and higher values for self storage operators. Join us for this presentation which will highlight some of the new developments and technology advancements that are available.
• Valuation for Sale vs. Refinance: Maximizing Your Value in Any Situation - Noel Cain, SkyView Advisors
  Join us as we talk about the difference of valuations and refinancing. You will get an update on the current financing and acquisition market for sellers and go into detail about the considerations of value from both lenders and buyers. We will also discuss how lenders and buyers look at different situations such as expansions and lease-ups.

9:00 - 9:50 AM - Breakout Session (attend one)

• Technology, Attitudes, and the Drivers that Create Success - Bob Francis, The Heron Group
  Get ready to experience a fast-paced, 30-year overview of what's changed in our business. Bob will cover the migration of self storage through the country and how it has impacted change, as well as the evolution of the industry's technology, staffing, and where we are headed in the future.
• Ending the War Between Marketing and Sales: The Battle for Customers - Creating a Marketing Strategy for Your Facility (Part One) - Jim Ferguson of SiteLink, Melissa Stiles of Storage Asset Management, and Lynn Sykes of Storage Asset Management
  Sales and marketing are often at odds with each other. This two-part series will connect how sales and marketing can work together to ensure completion of the "leads to leases" cycle. Learn how to connect marketing, sales, and operations for the best customer experience.
  

10:00 - 10:50 AM - Breakout Session (attend one)

• Off with the Old, On with the New - Richard Lillie, Janus International
  Join Richard as he discusses programs for door replacements, including Securguard locks for facility and unit security. He will also touch on how to maximize space and profit with a unit mix conversion.
• Ending the War Between Marketing and Sales: Your Marketing Worked... Now What? The Importance in How to Sell, Not What You Sell (Part Two) - Jim Ferguson of SiteLink, Melissa Stiles of Storage Asset Management, and Lynn Sykes of Storage Asset Management
  Sales and marketing are often at odds with each other. This two-part series will connect how sales and marketing can work together to ensure completion of the "leads to leases" cycle. Learn how to connect marketing, sales, and operations for the best customer experience.
  

10:50 AM - Adjourn

Register Now!