Beginning at the age of 21, Mr. Staton started a series of ventures in a number of industries, including specialized consumer products, storage and moving, and chain health clubs. His attention shifted to real estate development in 1980 when he joined Duke Associates in Cincinnati.
Under his leadership as COO and owner, Duke grew rapidly and in 1993 completed an IPO as a Real Estate Investment Trust and was listed on the New York Stock Exchange as Duke Realty Investments, Inc. Today, Duke is one of the largest REITs, with a market cap of $6.0 billion and more than 100 million square feet of space. Mr. Staton continues to be one of Duke’s major shareholders.
Mr. Staton is past Chairman of the Board of Directors of Storage Trust Realty (a public company listed on the NYSE) and led its merger with Public Storage (NYSE “PSA” – also a $5.0billion REIT), where he currently serves on the Board of Directors. Mr. Staton has been active as an Associate Producer of three successful Broadway Productions.
Mr. Staton served the City of Cincinnati as CEO of the Cincinnati Development Group and has been instrumental in the redevelopment of the downtown core area of Cincinnati. He is active in numerous charitable organizations.
Mr. Staton has two bachelor’s degrees: a BS in Finance from the University of Missouri and a BS in Specialized Business from Ohio University. He and his wife, Maria, and children Arianna and George reside in Cincinnati, Ohio and Boca Raton, Florida.
