At The Heron Group, we understand that each market, each neighborhood and every property is different.  We believe that fielding the right team for the property is the key to business success.
Through continual evaluation and training, our team building skills can help you find, retain and field a team operates at peak efficiency.

At The Heron Group, we believe that our flexibility helps you maintain the entrepreneurial spirit and attitude necessary to succeed in today’s competitive market.

Our most important belief is that your success is our success.  .  .

Robert Francis CPM

Robert Francis has been active in the operation and management of investment real estate for over thirty years.  His operational career began in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1974 in the multi-family housing industry.  Over the next fourteen years his portfolio expanded to include: general office medical buildings, small retail centers and office warehousing.  For the past twenty two years Bob has specialized in the management and operation of self-storage facilities throughout North America. 

Throughout his career Bob’s responsibilities and background have included site analysis and feasibility, property acquisition, development, rehabilitation, management and consulting.  He formed The Heron Group, Inc. to focus his efforts in self storage investment, development and operations.

Designated a Certified Property Manager by The Institute of Real Estate Management, Bob is a licensed Real Estate Broker, a former Trustee of the Florida Self Storage Association and is the 2008 Chairman  of the national Self Storage Association. 

As a senior faculty member of the Self Storage Association’s Manager’s Certification program, he is a frequent speaker and participant in industry programs, and contributor to industry publications regarding the development, operation and management of self storage facilities.

Richard Hanna

With over twenty years of hands on self-storage experience, Richard Hanna has had a first hand opportunity to see the storage business evolve from a cottage industry into the star of the investment world.

Beginning his career in property management 1987 with Storage USA, which became the second largest company in the self storage industry, Richard’s first ten years with the firm were in the capacity of a Regional Vice President. 

Operating across the United States, Richard developed a unique ability to recognize and evaluate problem stores and to reposition them in their respective markets. 

In 1997, the publicly held company created the industry’s first and only self-storage franchise operation.  In his capacity as the only National Market Officer, Richard was integral to its growth.  He worked directly with investors, developers, and lenders to structure transactions involving both the development of new facilities and the acquisition of existing properties.  Richard was responsible for performing the underwriting needed to create the transactions, while supervising all aspects of franchise activity, from site selection and design through financing and closing.
Richard’s dedication to the industry is evidenced by his involvement.  As past President and board member of the Georgia Self Storage Association, and a Founding Member of the Self Storage Association’s Charitable Foundation Board, Richard is a frequent speaker at both regional and national conferences, and is a senior instructor for the Self Storage Association’s Manager’s Certification Course.