The people behind the projects.

Arthur Long

Co-Founder

Since forming CML Property Group in 2017, Arthur has been responsible for the development of more than $75 million and more than one million square feet of self storage facilities. Previously, Arthur served as a Managing Partner for On-Belay, a medical device and distribution company, where he oversaw accounting, operations, and strategic development that allowed On-Belay to expand its distribution presence across the Southeast.

Arthur graduated with his BBA in Finance and Masters in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee. Arthur currently resides in Atlanta, GA with his wife and daughter.

Michael Haas

Co-Founder

From 2005 to 2012, Michael worked in different roles at Extra Space Storage and Storage USA for his father, Karl Haas, who was the COO for Storage USA and Extra Space Storage, as well as a member of EXR’s board of directors. In 2013, Michael helped form Jernigan Capital, a self storage merchant bank specializing in refinancing and development loans. Michael was responsible for sourcing ground-up developments, identifying prospective markets, and transactional, operational, and strategic analysis for JCAP prior to its IPO as a mortgage REIT in 2015.

Following JCAP, Michael worked for Delek US, an independent refiner, performing internal consulting and executing strategic expansion across multiple businesses, including commodity trading and hedging, crude lease, pipeline development, storage for refined products, and joint ventures. Michael was involved in large-scale M&A for the company, including a $1.1 billion acquisition of an independent refiner and the disposition of $200 million of retail gas stations.

In 2017, Michael formed CML with Arthur Long, and together they have developed and acquired more than one million square feet of self storage. Michael has a BBA in Finance from the University of Georgia and a JD and MBA from the University of Tennessee. Michael currently resides in Nashville, TN.

Mark Freed

Director

Mark joined CML Property Group as a Director in 2019 and is currently a Managing Member of East Lake Terminal, LLC, a railcar cleaning, repair, and trans-loading company he co-founded in 2017. Previously, Mark served as Vice President at Intensity Midstream LLC, a private midstream energy company that was successfully sold to Energy Transfer Partners. With over 15 years of executive leadership experience in the oil and gas midstream and marketing sectors, Mark has held key positions such as Chief Commercial Officer at Bakken Oil Express Midstream, VP of Physical Oil Sales at J. Aron (Goldman Sachs), and SVP at High Sierra Energy, LP — a company he helped grow from its inception in 2005 until its merger with NGL Energy Partners, LP in 2012.

From 1998 to 2005, Mark was VP of Sales and Marketing for the Western U.S. at Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc., an investment manager specializing in REITs, MLPs, and utilities. As part of a three-person sales team, he played a significant role in raising over $10 billion into Cohen & Steers’ funds and contributed to the company’s successful IPO in 2004. Mark holds a B.S. in Accounting from The Pennsylvania State University and currently resides with his two children in Dallas, TX.

Jeremy Ward

Capital Markets

Jeremy transitioned into commercial real estate in 2018 with a strip center development in Lake Charles. For the last five years, Jeremy has facilitated and executed on commercial real estate partnerships with a value greater than $50 million. After focusing initially on land development, mobile home parks, and destination RV parks in Texas and across the Midwest, Jeremy joined RBS in 2023 to participate in self storage development and acquisition.

Having experienced the self storage industry early in life with his grandfather’s properties, Jeremy has a deep appreciation for the business that has made him an integral part of RBS’s growth. Jeremy has a Doctorate in Chiropractic from Parker University and currently resides in Lake Charles, LA with his two children.

John Downes

Construction

John is a general contractor and Managing Partner for Bay to Bay Properties in Tampa, FL. John has successfully constructed more than two million square feet of institutional-grade self storage facilities throughout the Southeast on behalf of multiple clients, with assets that include Extra Space Storage, Life Storage, CubeSmart, and Bee Safe. During his career as a general contractor, John has also built big box retail, small box retail, gas stations, car washes, healthcare facilities, multi-tenant retail centers, grocery stores, auto, and quick service retail, among others.

John is responsible for managing construction aspects and estimates, while providing leadership and experience that is only learned by being actively involved in the construction of self storage facilities. John got his degree from the University of Florida and lives in the Tampa area with his two children.