Steven Cohen

About Steven Cohen

Steven H. Cohen is the CEO and Founder of Guardian Storage, the parent company of Guardian Storage Development and Guardian Storage Property Management. Since founding the company in 1987, Steven has built Guardian into one of the top 50 largest private owners, developers, and operators of Class A self-storage properties with over 40 properties, 3.3 million SF and storage units across Pennsylvania, Colorado, and West Virginia.With a background in economics and early experience in an entrepreneurial family-owned logistics business, Steven combined his forward-thinking, strategic mindset with a deep interest in real estate development, design, and finance to create a differentiated storage platform. From the outset, his vision was clear: develop and manage Class A storage properties that deliver superior amenities, thoughtful design, and an exceptional customer experience.As Guardian grew, Steven recognized that deep knowledge of customer needs and local market nuances created a powerful operating advantage. This insight shaped Guardian’s culture and led to the development of the company’s Mission Statement: “We care for our customers by providing an extraordinary experience and peace of mind.”Guardian’s Core Values—Caring, Excellence, Commitment, Innovation, and Teamwork—reflect Steven’s original vision and continue to guide decision-making and long-term growth.In addition to development, Steven built a fully integrated property management and operations platform, Guardian Storage Property Management, providing comprehensive services across their portfolio, including on-site management, revenue management, expense analysis, modern people practices, sales and marketing strategy, maintenance processes, and technological innovation.

Experience

1. Founder and CEO

   Guardian Storage

   Jun 1987 — Present

   Founded and scaled a fully integrated self-storage development, ownership, and management companyLed the development of 3.1M+ square feet of Class A self-storage propertiesBuilt an internal property management platform aligned with mission-driven service and operational excellenceOversees portfolio strategy, development, finance, and long-term growth initiatives

Education

• Colgate University

  BA, Economics

  1979 — 1983

• Shady Side Academy

  High School graduate

  1975 — 1979

Skills

• Real Estate Economics
• Budgets
• Marketing Strategy
• Real Estate Development
• Property Management
• Marketing
• Sales Management
• Social Media Marketing