 APRO: The Official Voice of the Rent to Own Industry
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 Rent-to-own News
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Rent-to-own News - APRO's Richard May honored for moving Austin's "live music" to forefront
It's not that Austin, Texas' live music scene was not alive and well 20 years ago.
But the explicit connection between Austin's place as "The Live Music Capital of the World" and its correlative economic impact on the city was only a vague conception driven more by emotion than hard numbers.
Today Austin's "Live Music Capital of the World" slogan -- and a keen understanding of music's significant economic muscle here -- is top of mind for tourism, economic and commerce experts across the globe thanks in no small part to the work of APRO Public Affairs Director Richard May and a small group of interested locals who comprised the city's first Music Commission in 1991.
Tonight Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell and the Austin City Council will honor May and his fellow flagship commissioners for their groundbreaking work that led to the creation of the "Live Music Capital of the World" slogan and a better appreciation by civic leaders of the city's home grown commodity.
“I am humbled to be recognized with such a great group of people who saw the power of Austin’s live music scene," May said. "Back then, Austin being the live music capitol of the world was just our little secret. Now the whole world knows. To be a small part of helping make that happen, makes all of those 6-hour commission meetings worth every minute.”
Only 22-years-old at the time, May, also a musicians, started the "grassroots" campaign that led to the creation of the first Austin Music Commission after his band got parking tickets while unloading for a gig downtown.
The council approved the creation and appointed May a commissioner on the board.
He was the youngest Austin City Commissioner ever appointed at the time.
In addition to creating the famous slogan, May's commission created the first ever city sponsored music channel. He also served as music commissioner on the Austin Airport Advisory Task force to make sure Music was represented inside the airport.
All who pass through the Austin Airport today are treated to live music and local music-themed art displays throughout the complex.
He served three terms on the Austin Music Commission.
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2012 APRO Convention and Trade Show July 24-26, Memphis, TN
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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 March-April 2012.
A New Rent-to-Own Experience by Neil Ferguson Here’s the lowdown on APRO’s 2012 Convention and Trade Show, July 24-26 in Memphis. The RTO industry’s big event will offer many valuable experiences, including insights on how to turn your stores into “experiences”–the good kind for consumers
Who Is Your Competition? by Bill Keese In order to expand your customer base, you can learn a lot by observing your competitors. But first, you need to figure out just who they are. If you think your only competition is the rent-to-own store down the street, you’re not considering the bigger picture. APRO’s executive director offers a big-picture perspective.
A Review of Online Customer Complaints by Ed Winn III While rent-to-own companies have not cornered the market on negative reviews posted on consumer complaint websites, it’s no surprise that there are cyberspace beefs against RTO. APRO’s general counsel reviews some of them in search of a pattern and he considers appropriate response to online complaints.
Rent-to-Own Families, Part VIII by Kristen Card Our series of family-run rent-to-own businesses continues with profiles of the Homeiers in Kansas and two Texas-based sets of kindred colleagues, the Spangles and the Weisblatts.
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.
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Association of Progressive Rental Organizations 1504 Robin Hood Trail Austin, Texas 78703 800/204-2776, ext. 103 Fax 512/794-0097 |