Extra Space Storage is proud to announce that Chief Operations Officer Samrat Sondhi has been recognized among Utah Business Magazine’s 2019 CXO of the Year honorees.

Each year, Utah Business Magazine releases their CXO of the Year list to recognize outstanding C-suite leaders who develop the strategies and make the hard decisions that drive a company’s success.

Sondhi joined Extra Space Storage 14 years ago after working for General Electric (GE) Real Estate, which was later acquired by the self storage company. He’s been a member of the senior management team for more than ten years in various roles. In his current role as Chief Operations Officer, Sondhi is responsible for profit and loss at 1,700 self storage locations across the U.S. and leads a team of over 3,000 employees. His department generates over $1 billion dollars in revenue annually.

Photo provided by Utah Business Magazine

“In my role as Chief Operations Officer specifically, I think working hard to understand the customer and front-line employee experience in detail is necessary,” Sondhi says. “I spend nearly 50 percent of my time traveling the country, visiting Extra Space locations and gaining firsthand knowledge of the experience at the store level. This is a key piece of my success.”

Sondhi has been integral to the growth of Extra Space Storage in both revenue and talent acquisition. Through his operations leadership, the self storage company has climbed to the top of the public REIT industry and become the second-largest self storage operator in the world. In addition, Extra Space Storage was named one of America’s Best Midsize Employers, which can be attributed to Sondhi’s focus on hiring initiatives, talent development within the organization, and the company’s core values.

“I believe in living our company values of Integrity, Excellence, Innovation, Teamwork, and Passion,” Sondhi explains. “Holding myself accountable to these values and rewarding people we work with who live these values makes a big difference in the success of a leader. It’s important to make sure that our company values are more than just five words on a piece of paper, but that they are guiding principles for my work.”

Sondhi is an active leader when it comes to championing diversity within the organization. He aims to foster an inclusive environment where employees can feel appreciated for their unique perspectives and comfortable sharing their ideas. Sondhi has also helped hire more than 1,200 people across the country, including at Extra Space Storage’s Salt Lake City headquarters.

“Working with the talented people around me is one of the most enjoyable parts of my job. The team at Extra Space Storage is phenomenal, and I am surrounded by talented, hardworking people.”

Samrat Sondhi is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer with the Extra Space Storage Management team.