CEO Today - USA Awards 2021

81 CEO of StorageMart About Cris Burnam Cris Burnam has been dedicated to the self-storage industry since 1987 and is currently serving as chief executive officer of StorageMart, headquartered in Columbia, Missouri. As the largest privatelyowned storage company in the industry, StorageMart owns and operates more than 240 stores across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, comprising approximately 17.4 million net rentable square feet across more than 151,600 self storage units. In his current role, Cris oversees all aspects of the organization. In 2020, Cris led the transaction between GIC, Cascade Investment LLC, and current owners of the company, TKG Management, the Burnam family, and other investors. The transaction valued the company at approximately $2.7 billion USD. Before that, Cris and the executive team at StorageMart completed a significant acquisition in the United Kingdom and a $416 million dollar takeover of a publiclytraded REIT on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Previously, Cris was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and received the Torch Award from the Better Business Bureau. Over the course of his career in self-storage, Cris has completed more than $8 billion dollars in self-storage real estate transactions, but what he values most today is his newest role as the proud grandpa of his first granddaughter. Cris lives in Columbia, MO, with his wife Jennifer, and three sons. About StorageMart StorageMart was founded by the Burnam family and developed its first storage facility in Columbia, Missouri. Today, the company has grown to more than 240 locations across the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom. Despite the increasing scale of the company through strategic acquisitions in both new and existing markets, StorageMart still operates with the heart of a small business where family and community come first. The company’s Store It Forward charitable giving program supports local nonprofits, as well as national organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and Barnardo’s in the UK. StorageMart donates $475,000 annually in rent to charitable organizations and has contributed more than $1,000,000 in additional sponsorship support. Today, the third generation of Burnams has joined the company, ensuring that customer service, clean facilities, ease-of-access, and community support remain central to the brand promise for years to come. Cris Burnam MISSOURI

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