Rental Viewpoint | September 22, 2005

RTO Employee Disaster Relief Fund
pays out to employees
++In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the APRO-established RTO Employee Disaster Relief Fund has contributed $50,400 to affected APRO member employees along the Gulf Coast. The fund was created to provide temporary assistance to employees of APRO members who have suffered the loss of their income due to the recent hurricane and its aftermath.
++"Most of our hourly employees had very limited resources in the aftermath," says William McRae, president of Buzz's Rental-Purchase. "APRO provided them the seed money they needed to get their basic necessities taken care of and get back on their feet."
++The first wave of support was sent out to 89 affected employees on September 8—within just 33 hours of the initial call for support.
++APRO membership responded to the call for donations. In less than one month, the fund received $106,204 in donations with another $61,070 pledged by members of the RTO industry. However, the fund is still short of the $250,000 goal established by the managing committee.
++Recovery efforts along the Gulf Coast are only just beginning and the threat of Hurricane Rita brings additional uncertainty to Louisiana and Texas. In order to continue providing assistance to RTO employees until the recovery effort is complete, the RTO Employee Disaster Relief Fund is seeking additional donations.
++Here are some methods for fund-raising within your company:

Contribute directly to the fund. Many companies are contributing a fixed amount per store. The range that has been pledged so far is between $100 and $2,000 per store. Any amount is appreciated.
Establish a payroll deduction plan. Employees of some companies have volunteered to have a small amount ($1, $2 or $5) deducted from each paycheck for a set time to be donated to the fund. As an owner, you may wish to match or double the amount your employees deduct through their payroll deduction plan.
Commit a dollar amount based on deliveries.
Set aside a given day or days whereby you donate an amount of every rental payment taken.
Ask your customers to contribute an extra amount with their payment.
Urge your state associations and vendors to contribute.

++Many people make their living selling to this industry and personally know some or many of the affected employees. This could be a very direct and meaningful way to give. However you choose to donate, your help is urgently needed.
++All donations are tax exempt. Ninety percent of donations will go directly to the employees of APRO members in the affected areas and 10 percent will be donated to the American Red Cross. Final details of future operations of the funds and a complete accounting of all gifts and disbursements will be available to all APRO members.
++Contributors (as of September 22): Appliance and Furniture RentAll, Benefit Marketing Solutions, Damion and Jennifer Brophy, Buddy's Home Furnishings employees, Larry Carrico and SKC/Rent One employees, Michelle Dunning of Kelley Commercial Trucks, Dick Eichlin of STAR Rentals, Florida Rental Dealers Association, Full-O-Pep employees, Imagery Marketing Solutions, Kevin Quinn of KLQ / Quality Rentals, Gene and Karyl Leach, Missouri Rental Dealers Association, National TV Sales and Rental employees, Mike Neighbors of Philips Consumer Electronics, Ohio Rental Dealers Association, RentWay Store #1384, Jay Roberts of National TV Sales and Rental, Sandberg Furniture, Mike Strong of Mike's TV-Furniture & Appliance, Larry Sutton of Rent-N-Roll, Mike Talley of Talley Rents, Texas Association of Rental Agencies, Mike Tissot and Countryside Rentals employees, TRIB Group, Ernie Lewallen and UHR Rents employees, Williams/Berndt Advertising.

relief

Sutton testifies before Congress
on Katrina aid
++Michelle Sutton, wife of APRO board member and RTO dealer Wayne Sutton, testified before the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee on September 22, urging Congress to cut the red tape and supply assistance to businesses affected by Hurricane Katrina more efficiently.
++Sutton is a longtime community activist in Louisiana where she has served as president of the state's Economic Development Board. The Suttons have also been involved in lobbying Congress for RTO legislation for many years.

Lewallen honored with Mike Kent Sr. Pioneer Award
++Ernie Lewallen of UHR Rents in Cincinnati, Ohio, became the second recipient of Rent-n-Roll's Mike Kent Sr. Pioneer Award at the Rent-n-Roll annual meeting in Tampa, Florida, on September 12. The Pioneer Award was established in 2004 to honor forward-thinking individuals in the RTO industry.
++According to Larry Sutton, president of Rent-n-Roll, Lewallen was chosen for his passion for the industry and his many contributions to Rent-n-Roll. "Many of the ideas he contributed became a permanent part of Rent-n-Roll," says Sutton. Lewallen is the creator of the recommended floor plan for Rent-n-Roll franchises.
++Lewallen opened his first Rent-n-Roll franchise in 2004 in Covington, Kentucky. His second store opened in February 2005. According to Sutton, Lewallen is known in the industry for his passion and enthusiasm for Rent-n-Roll. "Because he believes in the concept so much, he has led others to take the same path," says Sutton.
++The award is named for Mike Kent Sr., the first recipient of the Pioneer Award.

Stein recognized for
20 years of leadership
++The Society of Certified Insurance Counselors (CIC) recently honored Alan Stein, a certified insurance counselor with Nationwide Club Administrators in Coral Springs, Florida, for his ongoing pledge to education, commitment to excellence and dedication to the insurance profession. CIC presented Stein with an inscribed certificate for his continued participation in the program.
++Earning his CIC designation and maintaining all update requirements for 20 years places Stein in the top one percent of all insurance professionals in the country.
++"The high standard maintained by Mr. Stein not only benefits Nationwide Club Administrators, but the insurance profession as a whole," says William T. Hold, president of the society.
++CIC is a non-profit organization nationally recognized as a leader in continuing education for insurance professionals.

AARP criticizes Wisconsin
rent-to-own legislation
++The Wisconsin chapter of AARP held a press conference on September 12 announcing its opposition to the state's proposed rent-to-own legislation. After the press conference, two state senators withdrew their co-sponsorship of the bill. Wisconsin Rental Dealers Association President Jeff Lebakken is currently seeking legislative amendments to address concerns.
++"I feel confident that when we make our rounds through the legislators with the responses we will show the opposition that we will be well received," says Lebakken. We can show that we have compromised on two issues and that they are misrepresenting the facts on the other two issues."
++Two amendments have already been drafted and introduced by each Wisconsin Assembly and Senate sponsor. Lebakken says he is confident that the legislation is still on track, despite the delay caused by recent media activity.

New Premier store opens in Michigan
++After being in the RTO business for 24 years, Jim Forker decided to venture out on his own. Forker will open his Premier Rental-Purchase store in Benton Harbor, Michigan, in September. However, it was a two-year decision that proved harder to make than implement.
++"I saw an ad in Progressive Rentals magazine in 2003 and I called Premier and inquired," says Forker. I was impressed by Trooper [Earle, Premier's president and CEO]. He seemed very supportive. He didn't push. He wanted to make sure it was my decision, not his."
++Forker discussed his idea with his friend Mike Lewis who was working for the same RTO firm as Forker. Lewis was so intrigued, he opened a Premier store himself within a year, based on Jim's recommendation.
++"Mike has been very successful with his store, and he has been a huge help to me," says Forker.
++The national headquarters of Premier Rental-Purchase is located in Williamsburg, Virginia. All Premier stores are independently owned and operated.

High Touch User’s Conference, September 21-23, Wichita, KS, 316/831-8132
TRIB Group fall board meeting, September 27-28, 2005, Atlanta, GA, 770/451-4302
Florida Rental Dealers Association annual meeting; Norman “Slats” Golf Memorial and Vendor Appreciation Dinner and Trade Show, October 4 and 5, 813/623-5461, ext. 110
APRO fall board meeting, October 10-12, Austin, TX, 800/204-2776
Arkansas Rental Dealers Association fall conference, October 18 and 19, Petit Jean State Park, Morrilton, AR, 870/910-0059
High Point Furniture Market, October 20-26, High Point, NC, 336/888-3700
SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association), November 1-4, Las Vegas, NV, 909/396-0289
Click here to view the APROVision industry calendar of events

APRO 2006 Legislative Conference
dates set
++Make plans now to attend APRO's 2006 Dave Egan Legislative Conference scheduled for February 28-March 1. Held annually in Washington, D.C., rental dealers and other industry supporters from across the country meet to educate their elected officials on issues facing the rent-to-own industry.
++"The Legislative Conference will be meeting earlier in 2006 for good reason," says APRO's Executive Director Bill Keese. "This being the second year of a congressional term, we felt it important to shift dates so that we can maximize the possibility of securing a federal bill. With elections being held in the fall of 2006, many legislators will be involved in re-election strategies by late spring [when the Legislative Conference is usually held] and we don't want to be put on the back-burner during that process.
++"The best way to assure that the rent-to-own industry receives favorable legislation and a federal bill in 2006 is for rental dealers to work together in forming a successful grassroots campaign. The history of our industry has shown that grassroots strategies are the most successful.
++For the second year, the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel will be the headquarters hotel for this event. Room reservations can be made by calling L'Enfant Plaza Hotel at 800/635-5065 or 202/484-1000, ext. 5000. The APRO room rate is $199.
++For more information on attending the conference, contact Jeannie Hutchison, APRO, 800/204-2776, ext. 108. Conference registration and additional information will be mailed in November 2005.

++As part of our ongoing effort to recognize Rental Training Online students, here is a list of students who took courses in August 2005:
Cassie Chick, Melissa Chick, Bobby Homeier, Destinee Homeier, Gloria Homeier-Schwien, Cody Schlaefli, Janet Schmidt, Jennifer Victory and John Warren of A Full House; Christopher Harris of Afforable Rent to Own; Ronald Gordon, Coleen Hockett, Tonya McKnight and Marcia Switzer of Alliance Rental Center; Matthew Coppess and Robert Morris of Appliance and Furniture RentAll; Richard Bernal, Lakita Henley and Brenda Mabry of Baber's Inc.; Manuel Bautista, Hector Campos, Antonio Cardenas, Alfonso Castro, Jose Cervantes, Jesus Chagolla, Isaac Challa, Gerardo Diaz, Robert Flores, Manuel Garcia, Edwin Gonzalez, Cynthia Martinez, Leonardo Martinez, Marilyn Martinez, Ivan Melgarejo, Sandra Meza, Julio Munoz, Roberto Munoz, Robert Rangel, Eduardo Rodriguez, Gerardo Sanchez and Michael Sanchez of Computec, LLC; Frances Faughn, Tina Ferguson and Shelley Woolf of Full-O-Pep/American Rental; Vincent Belfire, Randy Cornwell, Richard Eder, Larry Eschen, Janet Gray, Austin LaViolette, Patricia Rimpley and Bryan Shafer of Hometown Brand Center; Tammy Hale, David Martinez, Christopher Norman and Amanda Ott of KLQ/Quality Rentals; Tony Barrow, Joshua Bitner, William Carlson, Johnnie Davis, Jason Ingram, Ellen Jones, James Jones, Jonathan Mcvay, Juan Mejorado and Jennifer Taylor of Rent City; Robert Hedding, Jonathan Triplett and Horice Wilson of Rent USA and Lahoma Beal, Andrew Bell, Alicia Brown, Nicole Clay, Iles Fort, Jesse Fox, Broderick Harris, Jeremy Hodges, Lindsay Jones, Sherman Manley, Timothy Moslander, Aaron Murphy, Misty vanvickle and Mark Young of SKC/Rent One.

Visit the APRO Web site or call the APRO office at 800/204-2776.

September 22, 2005
Volume 4, Issue 19

PUBLISHED BY APRO
1504 ROBIN HOOD TRAIL
AUSTIN, TX 78703
800.204.2776
APROVISION.ORG

» Rent-A-Center partners with ICG Commerce on comprehensive procurement business process outsourcing initiative

» Rent-to-own helps Katrina victims

» Opponents blast Wisconsin RTO legislation

» New Jersey court to rule on rent-to-own

Have a question or concern? Call APRO at 800/204-2776; or e-mail Shellie Faught.

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APRO: Always There