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CEO
Steve Schwab, Founder and CEO of Casago, has the unique capacity to lead with excellence and patience while establishing goal-focused delivery systems. In the vacation rental industry, this means putting the right people and processes in place to ensure timely, transparent, and exceptional service for property owners and guests. For Schwab, this also means strengthening relationships and contributing to the community, whether within the business or beyond.
Steve Schwab’s journey carves a path from the plains of southeastern Colorado to the Organ Mountains near Las Cruces, NM, and from the sandy beaches of Puerto Peñasco, Mexico to diverse destinations across the globe.
A former member of the U.S. Army Rangers, Schwab has a B.A. in Criminal Justice/Police Science from New Mexico State University. While at NMSU, Schwab was part of the Counter Drug Task Force and President of the Alph Tau Omega (ATO) fraternity, which significantly grew in membership under his leadership.
During his studies at NMSU, Schwab frequently found himself drawn to the beaches of Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point), Mexico, an hour from the Arizona border. The one-time fishing village, renowned for its storied shrimp yields, is a top tourism destination in northern Sonora, attracting visitors primarily from the Southwestern U.S.
Schwab’s route to becoming one of the industry’s leading vacation rental property management companies actually began on the beaches of Rocky Point.
Shortly after graduating from NMSU, Schwab visited Rocky Point for what was to be a brief time of reflection before moving on to his next global adventure. During that trip, and following a spontaneous conversation at a local cantina, Schwab began assisting a couple that owned a small vacation rental business in town. From his foray as a handyman, Schwab eventually bought the company. After the husband passed, the widow decided to move and offered the purchase to Steve.
Schwab renamed the business to SeaSide Reservations, which quickly strengthened its footing in the local vacation rental market, attracting beach visitors mainly from Arizona’s urban markets. At the helm of SeaSide Reservations, Schwab successfully consolidated the company by attracting former clients back to the business, personally calling each homeowner to invite them to put their trust in his innovative ideas.
When Schwab’s main competitor in Rocky Point abruptly departed, leaving numerous homeowners scrambling, his acute awareness and responsiveness to the situation nurtured a growing passion for helping homeowners. This interest in caring for homeowners provided a foundation for Casago’s present Owner-Centric principles.
SeaSide Reservations rapidly expanded beyond Rocky Point, leading to the company’s rebranding to Casago. Schwab’s long-term vision to become one of the most well-known vacation rental management brands led to the development of Casago’s unique approach to implementing a franchise model. Franchising was deeply motivated by a desire to empower local level owners that share Casago values to compete in a changing industry. Schwab believes locals who love and care for their community, when given the best tools, will be preeminent property managers in any market.
Headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ for over two decades, Casago has grown into a multi-market operation through its franchise model. By 2024, Casago had solidified its presence in 54 markets within the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean, and Costa Rica, with over 7000 properties. At the heart of Casago is its owner-centric model, developing community, and creating opportunities for local property managers. In partnering with Casago, local vacation rental management companies can leverage the systems, tools, and support of the internationally recognized organization. Casago is recognized
Empowering Casago staff, franchise owners, and property managers begins at Casago University (CGU). By establishing CGU, Schwab ensures team members are provided with the tools needed to be successful in their respective roles within the company. CGU expertly instills attendees with the company’s culture, mission, and values while providing in-depth instruction on the company’s property management system.
Schwab fervently believes every single person has a part to play in the journey, and in building the trustworthiness and credibility of Casago. Schwab’s leadership prowess encourages people to continually strive to be better.
In addition to being a self-described ¨property management nerd, ¨ Schwab is passionate about travel. Many of Steve’s adventures stem from relationships that transcend business, such as backpacking through the Redwood Forest with a Casago franchise owner, or a whale-watching trip to Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur with fellow Casago team members. Whenever possible, Steve’s dog Chopper is along for the ride.
As a world-traveler, Steve has experienced life-lessons unlike most as he seeks out the daring and unusual. Whether piloting his own plane, scuba diving with sharks in Cuba, volunteering in Africa, or trekking miles into the Borneo rainforest to visit the Iban tribe, Steve’s passion for new experiences is palpable.
Steve’s family is also integral to his persona and motivation, even naming a popular tour boat in Rocky Point after his mother – the Señorita Rita. At a young age, Steve’s father Glen sparked his appreciation for cars and motorcycles. This included taking part in racing school and more recently a motorcycle trip on a Ural along Mexico’s Baja. Moreover, Steve is rarely happier than when spending time with his son.
Steve Schwab was named one of the Most Admired Leaders by the Phoenix Business Journal in 2019. That same year, Casago was honored to receive the Torch Award in ethics by the BBB. In 2023, Schwab received further recognition as a Phoenix Titan 100 for his contributions to the business community.
In addition to his valuable role within the vacation rental industry and business community, Schwab is committed to outreach and philanthropy. As part of giving back to the community of Puerto Peñasco, Schwab founded the Mexico Children’s Foundation (MCF) in 2003 to provide a positive impact on the health and education of children in the area.
MCF is a registered U.S. non-profit that for over 20 years has been providing children in northern Mexico help with medical attention and educational opportunities. The words from the family of a young girl who received life-saving surgery with help of MCF to remove a brain tumor are exemplary of MCF’s impact, ¨We could not afford to overcome this issue in spite of all of our effort. It was thanks to Steve Schwab and the Mexico Children’s Foundation we were able to take her to the specialists to do her surgery that removed her tumor. ¨
For over ten years, Schwab fundraised for the MCF by walking from Phoenix to Puerto Peñasco. The yearly over 200-mile effort during the Foundation’s first decade rose funds that helped over one hundred children, saved the lives of several and made emergency medical services available to many dozens more.
