The estimable Mark Twain once said, “It is better to deserve honors and not have them, than to have them and not deserve them.” Of course, Mr. Twain left out the notion about how sweet it is to get an honor that you do, indeed, deserve. Such is the case for the California Self Storage Association, which won the Best State Association category in the 2014 Inside Self-Storage readers poll. It represents the third time in the last four years that the CSSA has won the award.

The ISS Best of Business Awards, announced August 1, includes 35 winners who will be highlighted in the November print edition of ISS magazine. All the winners will be honored with a commemorative trophy at the Inside Self-Storage World Expo in Las Vegas, April 7-9, 2015.

The California Self Storage Association also won the award in 2011 and 2012 (with the Texas Self Storage Association claiming the award in 2013). That sort of recognition sits well with CSSA executive director Erin King.

“While we work hard to help our members and the self storage industry, we don’t do so with the idea that we will be receiving awards,” King said. “Our goal is to be the best state association that we can be and get better with each passing year. That being said, we are so appreciative to having again been voted this award by ISS readers. Many thanks to them for this wonderful recognition.”

The CSSA is among the most active and involved state associations in the country. It’s efforts to gain favorable self storage legislation, to educate its members on the latest trends in the industry and to hold special gatherings from one end of California to the other contribute to its reputation as one of the best state associations in the USA.

“We like to think we are doing a good job and awards like this from the ISS help reinforce our energy and efforts to top whatever we’ve done before,” added King. “I can assure you that we’ll keep operating at a high level of energy and commitment, whether we win awards or not.”

Mark Twain would be proud.