About Us
Unit Cold Storage (UCS) was founded to redefine how small and medium-sized businesses access and operate within the cold chain. Our principals bring over 100 years of combined experience in design, construction, refrigeration, engineering, marketing, and operations—expertise honed through decades of success in the public refrigerated warehouse (PRW) industry. This deep operational knowledge allows us to deliver precise, purpose-built cold storage infrastructure where functionality and reliability are critical.
Our strength is further amplified through our strategic partnership with BGO Cold Chain, one of the world’s largest institutional investors in temperature-controlled logistics real estate. With approximately 30 million square feet of transaction activity since 2015, BGO brings institutional capital markets expertise, long-standing tenant relationships, and national scale to the UCS platform. Together, we offer a unique combination of executional depth and programmatic investment capabilities—positioning UCS to scale rapidly and deliver differentiated cold storage solutions in key markets across the U.S. and beyond.
Our Vision
At UCS, our vision is to empower businesses by providing flexible, scalable, and modern cold storage units that give operators full control over their operations. We understand the specific needs of growing companies in food, beverage, pharmaceuticals, and other temperature-sensitive sectors—and we’ve built a solution to meet those needs head-on.
The Market Need
For small and mid-sized businesses, access to high-quality, temperature-controlled warehouse space has historically been limited. Many are forced to choose between expensive long-term leases, inflexible PRWs, or outdated facilities that hinder growth and efficiency. The lack of scalable, customizable options presents a major barrier in an industry where precision and adaptability are non-negotiable.
UCS solves these problems by offering modern cold chain facilities (micro fulfillment centers) tailored for independence and agility. Whether your business is expanding into a new market or scaling operations, our Units provide the adaptability you need—without the cost or rigidity of traditional cold storage options.
Why UCS is Different
UCS reimagines the cold chain experience for modern businesses. Unlike legacy PRWs focused on volume over service, we deliver customizable, individual cold storage Units that operators can manage on their terms.
- Temperature flexibility across units—from chilled goods to ultra-low temperatures for products like sashimi-grade seafood or specialty ice cream
- 24/7/365 access and complete operational control
- Designed for efficiency, independence, and seamless scaling
- Infrastructure built to support food, pharma, and other high-sensitivity goods
Backed by deep operational expertise and institutional investment support, UCS delivers unmatched value to growing businesses who demand more from their cold chain solution.
Executive Team
John Galiher – Co-Founder and CEO, The UCS Group LTD
John Galiher is a distinguished entrepreneur and respected leader in the cold storage logistics industry. As Founder and former CEO of Preferred Freezer Services, he played a defining role in shaping the modern cold chain landscape.
Through strategic expansion and operational excellence, Preferred Freezer Services grew to include over 39 state-of-the-art facilities across the United States, catering to key sectors such as seafood imports and exports. The company employed more than 1,300 professionals and generated $281 million in annual revenue, reinforcing its position as a leader in temperature-controlled logistics.
In 2019, Preferred Freezer Services was acquired by Lineage Logistics in a landmark $1 billion transaction. The deal helped establish Lineage as the world’s largest cold storage company, adding over 1.3 billion cubic feet of space and significantly expanding its automation capabilities.
John’s success stems from his ability to marry real estate strategy with operational logistics, offering resilient, scalable solutions in a complex and evolving industry. Today, as Co-Founder and CEO of UCS Group, he brings decades of vision and execution to a new generation of cold storage infrastructure.
Dan DiDonato – Co-Founder and President, The UCS Group LTD
Dan is a high-energy, results-driven senior executive with over 30 years of experience in sales, marketing, and operations within the temperature-controlled logistics industry. He built his career under the mentorship of industry legend John Galiher at Preferred Freezer Services (PFS), where he played a critical role in scaling the company from $5M in revenue in 1989 to a $1.2B strategic sale in 2019.
Throughout his tenure at PFS, Dan held key leadership roles across all areas of the business—including Sales, HR, Operations, Finance, IT, Site Selection, and Construction—contributing to the company’s explosive growth and industry reputation. After PFS was acquired by Lineage Logistics, Dan joined their Executive Leadership Team and served in senior commercial sales roles until 2024, following the company’s IPO.
Now serving as President, of UCS Group, LTD, Dan leads development and construction management initiatives with a focus on cold storage innovation and excellence. His strengths lie in business development, customer relationship management, and delivering customized, profitable solutions that meet client needs.
Dan is a graduate of St. John’s University (Class of ‘95), a lifelong learner, and a respected voice in the cold storage industry. He lives in Watchung, NJ, with his wife of 22 years and their two children. A proud Bayonne native, Dan enjoys real estate, cultural travel, and warm-weather destinations.
John Ingrassia – Co-Founder and EVP Sales, The UCS Group LTD
John brings over 30 years of leadership experience in the food, beverage, and cold chain logistics industry. Prior to co-founding The UCS Group, he spent 25 years in senior executive sales roles at Preferred Freezer Services and Lineage Logistics. During his tenure, he led high-performing sales and operations teams, generating up to $350 million in revenue across 26 public refrigerated warehouses (PRWs), while building long-standing relationships with customers and teams alike.
John is highly experienced in greenfield development and start-up operations, often working cross-functionally with operations, finance, and IT to launch and scale successful facilities. He is known for building and mentoring world-class teams, with many of today’s PRW leaders having trained under his guidance. His expertise spans P&L management, revenue generation, and large-scale team leadership.
Before entering the cold chain sector, John managed large-scale food, beverage, and catering operations for Aramark Corporation in New York City and Stamford, CT.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from West Virginia University and is actively involved in several industry organizations, including:
- National Fisheries Institute (NFI) – Future Leaders Class of 2002
- Meat Importers Council of America (MICA)
- International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses (IARW)
- World Food Logistics Organization (WFLO)
- Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA)
- Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA)
