Executive Management

Mr. Saffire was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Company effective March 1, 2019. Before assuming his role as Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Saffire served as the Company’s Chief Investment Officer from November 2017 to February 2019.  Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Saffire served as Executive Vice President and Head of Commercial Banking of First Niagara Bank from April 2014 to September 2016 and served as an Executive Vice President and Head of Global Banking for Europe, the Middle East and Africa of Wells Fargo Bank from 2012 to March 2014.  Prior to 2012, Mr. Saffire served in various management capacities for over 20 years with HSBC Bank plc., including serving as Chief Operating Officer and Head of International Corporate and Commercial Banking in Germany from 2010 to 2012 and Executive Vice President and Regional President – Corporate and Commercial Banking in the United States from 2007 to 2010.  As the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, he brings to the Board of Directors intimate knowledge of the Company and experience in finance, real estate and investor relations.  He also is a key contributor in the development and execution of the Company’s business strategy and provides expertise related to the Company’s business. 

Mr. Gress was appointed Chief Financial Officer of the Company on January 2, 2023. Before assuming his role as Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Gress served as Vice President - Finance, Corporate Planning and Investor Relations of the Company since October 2021. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Gress served as Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of the Hamister Group, LLC, a privately held real estate investment platform, and as a General Partner of Meritas Equity Partners, a private equity firm. Prior to that, Mr. Gress served in executive management and leadership positions for national and international banking institutions, as well as venture capital platforms, for over 20 years including JPMorgan Securities Inc. and Lehman Brothers Ltd. in London. Mr. Gress started his career at Price Waterhouse LLP in New York City in 1995.

Mr. Dodman was appointed as Chief Operating Officer of the Company effective January 1, 2022. Before assuming his role as Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Dodman served as Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning and Investor Relations and has been a member of senior leadership since joining the Company in 2018. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Dodman held various corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions and operational roles at KeyCorp, First Niagara Financial Group, Inc. and Lockheed Martin Corporation. He also worked in the Corporate Finance/Investment Banking departments of Legg Mason, Inc. and Stifel Financial Corp. As Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Dodman brings his experience in operations, corporate development and strategy along with his knowledge and understanding of the self-storage industry.

Ms. White was appointed Senior Vice President, Human Resources & Corporate Communications in 2020, having served as the VP, Human Resources from 2018-2020. Before joining the Company, she was Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer & Corporate Communications at First Niagara Bank. Prior to her time with First Niagara Bank, Ms. White held numerous positions in Talent Management, Recruitment, and as an HR Business Partner.  Ms. White holds a Bachelors of Science in Industrial & Labor Relations from Cornell University.

Mr. Rogers is Senior Vice President of Real Estate at Life Storage, and within this current role maintains oversight of the Company’s acquisition, disposition, development, and joint venture initiatives.  From 2004 until 2012, Mr. Rogers served as the Company’s Vice President of Asset Management, which included oversight of the Company’s development and expansion efforts.  From 1998 until 2004, Mr. Rogers served in roles as the Company’s Due Diligence Officer and Acquisitions Officer.  Mr. Rogers holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and a Master of Business Administration degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo.