For the next two months, every magazine you put in your hot little hands will have something trite to say about the holidays, the impending New Year, resolutions and all that jazz. But what is so new about the New Year? The older you get, the faster the years go bytheres no news here. I want fill you in on some things that really are novel and fresh. After all, theres a lot more to the passing of time than writing a new date in your checkbook.

In 2004, Inside Self-Storage will offer two innovative services to this industry, both pertaining to key information that will assist developers in project planning. The first is a comprehensive, full-day developers seminar, which will be conveniently packaged with our annual Las Vegas Expo. On Feb. 8, immediately prior to the show, interested parties can participate in this eight-hour tutorial, which will cover all aspects of the development process, including site selection, zoning, feasibility, due diligence, site design and unit mix, and a whole lot more. Attendees will be guided by eight of this industrys top development experts, and ISS hopes to expand this event to all of its future expos. For more details, see the ad on page 92.

We are also pleased to announce we will be partnering with Charles Ray Wilson of Self Storage Data Services Inc. to publish a brand new series of Self Storage Market Performance Reports unlike anything seen before in the industry. These periodic reports give account of how self-storage is performing in the nations top 50 MSAs (Metropolitan Statistical Areas). Security analysts helped design the report format to meet the needs of investors, owners and other third parties. ISS will be the exclusive publisher of the national summary data, while detailed regional information will be available via subscription. If youre interested in learning more, you can contact Ray at [email protected].

With all this great information coming online for those on the development side of the field, what about those in operations? Facility managers and their support staff are the lynchpin for any thriving storage site. Who you hire and how you train can veritably make or break a business, especially for those owners who are remote.

This issue focuses on quality management: what makes a first-rate manager, how to interview and hire right, training and evaluating performance. Employees are every business greatest asset. Owners should be proactive in educating and communicating with their staff. You managers out there can take your future in your hands by learning as much as possible, asking questions and recognizing the pivotal role you play in a facilitys success. No, this isnt anything new; but its tried and true.

Best wishes,

Teri L. Lanza
Editorial Director
[email protected]