Welcome & Overview
A quick kickoff to the day’s agenda and what to expect, led by SBOA President Iris Czygan.
The Big Beautiful Bill: Using Cost Segregation & Bonus Depreciation to Your Advantage
Presented by CSSI
Learn how federal tax incentives like cost segregation and bonus depreciation
can provide powerful early-year ROI for self-storage buyers and developers.
Financing Your First (or Next) Deal
Amber Crucian – Live Oak Bank
Explore your financing options, including SBA vs. conventional lending,
and what banks really look for in self-storage projects—especially in Texas.
From Dirt to Doors: Building a Modern Facility
Jacob Noriega – A-Lert Systems
Get the essentials of self-storage construction: timelines, design, permitting,
and the critical path to breaking ground and filling units.
Third-Party Management & Marketing
Mike Ramirez – The Jenkins Organization
Understand how outsourcing operations and marketing can benefit new owners,
especially during lease-up and early growth stages.
Protecting Your Investment: Insurance & Restoration Panel
A rapid-fire discussion on risk mitigation and restoration strategies,
before, during, and after construction or a disaster.
Moderator: Iris Czygan – SBOA
Panelists:
Santos Cavazos – Allied Restoration & Construction
David Myers – SBOA Insurance Services
Dean Giem – Builder’s Risk Insurance
Nate Trone – SBOA Tenant Insurance
Break
TSSA Networking Preview & Local Industry Resources
Holly Barr & Meaghan Rhame – Texas Self Storage Association
Find out how TSSA membership supports your success in Texas and get a preview of the TXSSA Networking Event happening later that day.
Vendor Matchmaking: How to Find the Right Partners – Live Q&A
Moderated by Iris Czygan – SBOA
Get real-world advice from all workshop speakers as we walk through a practical checklist of who you’ll need to build your self-storage dream team.
Lunch
Enjoy a hot lunch and more time to connect with speakers and fellow attendees
before heading out to tour a local facility.
Exclusive Facility Tour
Climb aboard for chartered transportation to a successful San Antonio facility that combines traditional
self-storage with boat/RV units. This behind-the-scenes guided tour is your chance to ask real questions,
see real operations, and experience a working facility in action.
TSSA Networking Event
Separate Registration Required – Register Here
Cap off your day at the official TSSA Networking Event
just a short walk from the workshop venue!
Amber Crucian
Vice President
Self-Storage Lending
Live Oak Bank
Amber focuses on self-storage lending throughout the Texas region and beyond.
With deep experience in SBA and conventional financing, she offers practical strategies to help buyers secure funding.
Session: Financing Your Facility: What Every Borrower Should Know
Rick Harsch
National Account Executive
Cost Segregation Services, LLC
Rick brings 35+ years of experience in commercial real estate, with a strong focus on the Texas and Southwest markets. He has underwritten, financed, or asset-managed over 18,000 properties across 45 states. He’ll share how new tax incentives can benefit self-storage investors.
Session: The Big Beautiful Bill & Cost Seg: What Every Owner Needs to Know
Jacob Noriega
Account Representative
A-Lert Building Systems
Jacob represents A-Lert Building Systems, a Texas-based leader in self-storage construction.
With firsthand insight into building trends and timelines, he helps operators navigate the path from bare land to fully operational facilities.
Session: From Dirt to Doors: Building a Modern Self-Storage Facility
Holly Barr, CAE
Director of Membership & Business Development, Texas Self Storage Association
Based in Texas, Holly oversees membership growth and strategic partnerships for the Texas Self Storage Association. She plays a key role in advancing the association’s mission to support owners and operators across the state.
Session: TSSA Networking Preview & Local Industry Resources
Nate Trone ("NaTrone")
Senior Manager – Business Development, Alchemy Insurance Solutions
Nate is a senior manager with Alchemy Insurance Solutions, where he supports the growth of SBOA Tenant Insurance. With a background in business development and certifications in project management, Nate brings a strategic approach to optimizing insurance offerings for self-storage operators.
Session: Restoration & Risk Mitigation Panel
Santos Cavazos
Assistant Regional Manager
Allied Restoration & Construction
Santos Cavazos represents Allied Restoration & Construction, a trusted leader in disaster recovery and property restoration services for commercial facilities across the U.S. With a strong presence in the Texas market, Allied specializes in helping self-storage owners recover quickly and mitigate future risks through expert restoration solutions and proactive planning.
Session: Restoration & Risk Mitigation Panel
Dean Giem
Agency Manager, Alchemy Insurance Solution
Dean Giem serves as Agency Manager at Alchemy Insurance Solutions. With a strong background in commercial insurance and risk mitigation, Dean now brings his expertise to the self-storage industry, helping new facility owners understand how to protect their investments from day one.
Session: Restoration & Risk Mitigation Panel
Mike Ramirez
The Jenkins Organization
Representing The Jenkins Organization, a leading Texas-based self-storage operator and developer with over three decades of experience, Mike Ramirez will share insights into how third-party management and digital marketing strategies can help owners grow efficiently and effectively in today’s competitive market.
Session: Third-Party Management & Internet Marketing
Exclusive Guided Facility Tour
Join us for a behind-the-scenes tour of a successful San Antonio storage facility that combines traditional self-storage with high-demand toy storage for boats, RVs, and more. This hybrid model offers a real-world example of how thoughtful design and diversified offerings can drive revenue. Designed exclusively for owners and operators, this guided experience gives you direct access to the property, its layout, and its leadership—so you can get your questions answered and see what success looks like in action.