SmartStop Hires SVP of Acquisitions in LA

John Strockis, SVP of Acquisitions, SmartStop Asset Management

Los Angeles—SmartStop Asset Management LLC has recently hired John Strockis, a senior real estate executive with extensive experience in acquisitions, asset management, business development and brokerage leadership, as senior vice president of acquisitions. Strockis will be responsible for leveraging SmartStop’s existing platform and relationships in order to expand its real estate product offerings.

“John is a dynamic leader with an extensive network and business development experience,” said Michael Schwartz, chairman & CEO of Smartstop. “He will launch Smartstop’s 1031 exchange offerings to help us diversify our commercial property opportunities.”

Strockis will head a new division actively seeking commercial properties in retail, multifamily, industrial, office and healthcare for property exchanges under Section 1031 of the United States Revenue Code, which states that certain properties can defer capital gains taxes.

“The market is good and it’s a very opportunistic time for us to expand our product offerings to the 1031 exchange market,” said Strockis. “I’m excited to be connected with Michael Schwartz, a respected and prolific real estate capital markets professional. This is an incredible opportunity to leverage his success on the storage side.”

Previously, Strockis worked for the Los Angeles division of CB Richard Ellis & CBRE Investors from 1984 until 2008, as a broker, sales manager, managing director and senior director of acquisitions while at CBRE Investors. In 1999 and 2000, he received the company’s James Didion Leadership Award for Most Outstanding Manager. He also served as executive managing director for Voit Real Estate Services in Newport Beach, Calif., as chief executive officer for Marwest Commercial in California, Arizona and Nevada as well as executive managing director for Real Estate Services Company in Orange County. Strockis has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of California.

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