Rent-to-own News - MRDA Heartland kicks off three days of work and play

Don Julson (BriteLite), John Rogers (High Touch), John Blair (PTS Tax Services) and Bill Keese (APRO Executive Director).

The Missouri Rental Dealers Association kicked off its sixth-annual Heartland of America Regional Trade Show and Seminar at the Lodge of the Four Seasons Resort in Lake Ozark, Missouri, on June 15 with a Vendor Showcase Reception, featuring 70 vendors representing 57 rent-to-own exhibitor companies.

There are a dozen vendors new to this year's three-day event, which is one of the largest regional rent-to-own shows in the country.

The Vendor Showcase Reception gave more than 130 rental dealers from Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Arkansas and other states a chance to mingle with colleagues and rent-to-own vendors before the trade show begins in earnest on June 16.

Prior to the trade show on June 16, attendees will have their choice of fun-in-the-sun recreation: the annual bass fishing tournament, golf tournament or just relaxation while enjoying the beauty of central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks.

After a morning of tournaments, rental dealers and vendors will get down to business in the afternoon with the heart of the Heartland event: the trade show.

"We're poised to have another great show with a total sell-out of vendor booths again this year," says Tiger John Cleek Jr., MRDA's president. "And we've increased our attendance in dealer companies to 24, up from 19 at last year's show."

A full day of activities on June 16 will conclude in the evening with the annual Awards Dinner and Presentation.

"One thing new we've done this year is ask the vendors to come to the show with some hot deals--not just trade show specials, but truly hot deals that are so good you'll just HAVE to buy product at this show," Cleek says. "Vendors are offering some pretty amazing deals. I'm expecting some good activity on the show floor tomorrow."

Day three of the Heartland of America show, June 17, will feature training sessions presented by six leading industry vendors: ArchBrook Laguna, LG Electronics, Moneris Solutions, O'Rourke Sales Co., Simmons and Whirlpool. This is the second year for the training sessions, which were very popular at last year's event.

"The training seminars were introduced last year and are a real value-added component of the show," Cleek says. "Last year, there was an overwhelming response from dealers that they loved the sessions."

See photo gallery of the event here.