Rent-to-own News - Midwest RTO Expo opens with reception, bowling

Ohio State Rep. Seth Morgan and ORDA President Scott Kinnear officially open the 2009 Midwest Expo in Columbus, Ohio Tuesday.

The sixth annual Midwest RTO Training Expo -- the brainchild of the Ohio Rental Dealers Association (ORDA) -- kicked off Tuesday evening at the Concourse Hotel and Conference Center in Columbus, Ohio where close to 160 rent-to-own dealers from as many as nine states are expected to participate in what has become the largest regional rent-to-own training show in the country.

See photos.

ORDA President Scott Kinnear welcomed special guest Ohio State Representative Seth Morgan (36) to the welcome reception and ribbon cutting ceremony that opened the event that will feature 56 vendors filling 43 spots at the show over half a dozen of whom will present in-depth product demonstrations to rotating groups of RTO managers on the latest innovations in electronics, appliances, computers and furniture.

"I think we are prepared to stand up to to the threats that may come to Ohio and protect ourselves from those who don't see small business as the answer to recovery from our economic woes," Morgan said. "There's nothing more honorable in America than someone willing to take their capital and invest it in the economy.  Especially in an industry that serves the less fortunate."

Ernie Lewallen, owner of UHR Rents, who was instrumental in the inception of the Midwest Expo six years ago,  brought 12 of his managers to this year's event.

"This is the third largest gathering of RTO companies in the country and there's no place where vendors and dealers can come together like this at this regional level and talk about our specific business," Lewallen said. "ORDA is one of the oldest and most active rental dealers associations and its events are always heavily populated and attended by members."

Busses later shuttled attendees from the hotel to Gahanna Lanes for a night of bowling. See photo gallery.

Tomorrow, Kinnear officially welcomes attendees to the Expo and welcomes guest speaker Kordell Norton with his talk entitled: "Say less...sell more."

"Because this is a regional show," Kinnear said. "The guys get to actually take the excitement back to the stores with them and use their training immediately. I think vendors get more orders in the long run because our sales associates are so much better at demonstrating and selling the products after the Expo."

Product training will continue throughout the day tomorrow.

See APRO exclusive photo gallery here.