Rent-to-own News

Rent-to-own News - APRO Legislative Conference wraps 'day on the Hill' with networking reception

February 25, 2010

L to R: Bill French, N.C. Rep. Virginia Foxx, David Kraemer, James MacAlpine.

APRO Legislative Conference attendees ended a full day of meetings with legislators at the event's annual networking reception and dinner Wednesday evening at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C.

See photo gallery.

More than 120 conference attendees including rent to own dealers, vendors, buying group executives and other industry professionals spent a busy day on Capitol Hill putting a personal and economic face on rent to own and the Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act (H.R. 1744 and S. 738).

The Act, which will provide a regulatory floor for the transaction across the country, define RTO as a lease not a sale and improve consumer protections in 33 states, is finding bi-partison support in both the House and Senate and more than 14 new co-sponsors have agreed to sign on to the bill this week.

Two new U.S. House co-sponsors officially appeared in the Congressional Record Wednesday raising total co-sponsorship to 115, a new record. Senate co-sponsorship remains at 15.

Pat McCarthy, a regional director for Rent-A-Center and first-time legislative conference attendee, said the opportunity to interact with Congress in the midst of his industry colleagues was a rewarding one.

"Being a first-time attendee I was somewhat intimidated at first, but I was very glad I attended the APRO general session," said McCarthy who manages 51 stores in California, Utah, Idaho and Alaska. "We got a lot of useful information there. Our meetings were very positive and it's been great to meet some of the great people in this industry. It sort of takes down the walls we build as competitors and allows us to interact more as partners."

Industry professionals will continue meeting with Congress members and Senators through Thursday.

See photo gallery.

About APRO
The Association of Progressive Rental Organizations is the official voice of the rent-to-own industry and the most accurate and trustworthy source of rent-to-own news in the industry. Founded in 1980, APRO is the national, nonprofit trade association advocating and representing the rent-to-own industry before the U.S. Congress, state legislatures, courts, media and the public.

For more information, visit www.rtohq.org.

2012 APRO Dave Egan
Legislative Conference

April 17-19, Washington, D.C.

Mark your calendars!

Watch RTOHQ Rent to Own videos on YouTube!

Featured APRO Photo:
From the APRO 2011: Gala at the Clinton Presidential Center, July 12 Album
APRO 2011: Gala at the Clinton Presidential Center, July 12
View All RTO Photos
in the RTOHQ.org gallery

RTOHQ: The Magazine
RTOHQ: The Magazine is the Association of Progressive Rental Organizations' award-winning rent-to-own industry magazine, and it's available here.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR DIGITAL RTOHQ: THE MAGAZINE

RTOHQ: The Magazine’s upgraded digital format

APRO's new, mobile-ready magazine is now available in addition to our print edition. The digital format provides the same informative content as our printed magazine, but also offers tools to make the reading experience more enriching. Access the table of contents page with one click or tap. Get additional information from advertisers by clicking on the links in their ads. The interface is easy to navigate and requires no special app—read our magazine on your computer, digital table or smartphone. Click here to access the digital version of RTOHQ: The Magazine November-December 2011.

Marketing Matters

This year marks the launch of a marketing campaign initiated by APRO to build the rent-to-own customer base. It will be a multi-year endeavor employing multiple strategies. In this and upcoming issues of our magazine, we will address the many facets of marketing that affect our industry.

Striving for an A with the BBB

by William E. Freeland

Consumers often refer to the Better Business Bureau's ratings to help them make rental and purchasing decisions. National Rent-to-Own's human resource manager outlines the steps every RTO company should pursue to help earn an A+ from the BBB.

Creating an Extraordinary Customer Experience

by Bill Keese

Apple does it. Southwest Airlines does it. Can the rent-to-own industry also garner a national reputation for exceptional service and, in the process, attract new customers?

BB and BBQ on Beale Street

Memphis' reputation for tremendous food, groundbreaking music and Southern charm is well deserved. It's not too early to start planning your trip there next July for APRO's 2012 Rent-to-Own Convention and Trade Show.

Card Talk

by Ed Winn III

Credit and debit card payments are on the rise in rent-to-own. So are the risks in keeping such transactions secure.

Rent-to-Own Families, Part VI

by Kristen Card

No, you're not seeing double, or are you? Our latest profiles of kindred colleagues include two sets of twins-the Botkins and the Kimbles. And in Kansas, a son and daughter help their dad keep business running Strong.

Future issues of APRO's magazine will be available in this same new format. Click here to access past issues that are not yet archived in the new interface.

Association of Progressive Rental Organizations
1504 Robin Hood Trail
Austin, Texas 78703
800/204-2776, ext. 103
Fax 512/794-0097