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Florida State Association Leaders Talk Top 4 Priorities for 2021

The Florida Rental Dealers Association (FRDA)’s board of directors recently got together to discuss the year ahead and determine the organization’s key objectives for 2021. APRO Member RNR Tire Express hosted the meeting at its Tampa, Florida, headquarters.

From left: Ruben Flores, Adam Sutton, Chris Kale Sr., Paul Metivier, Larry Sutton, Lisa and Mike Gavidia, Sharon Tomaszewski, Shirin Kanji, and Chris Kale Jr.

Once board members had reviewed the association’s budget and financial standing, the meeting moved on to the group’s top projects for this year, which will include:

  • Creating a new website for the association;
  • Planning an FRDA-hosted RTO World pre-party – Spearheaded by Shirin Kanji, President of Impact RTO Holdings, dba Rent-A-Center, the board wants to put together a stress-free soirée for members and vendors to enjoy before event business begins;
  • Discovering ways to continue the association’s tradition of visiting the state capitol in Tallahassee to connect with Florida lawmakers about the rent-to-own business – While face-to-face meetings may not yet be doable, the board is exploring options for keeping their presence strong with statewide leaders; and
  • Infusing FRDA’s board of directors with new people and fresh ideas – board members intend to establish typical officer positions with corresponding functions and accountability, as well as strategically add some enlivening and passionate ambassadors to the association.

“We reached a consensus on how we’re going to address these four top projects, and who will help get them done,” said FRDA President Paul Metivier, who is also Vice President of Operations for Impact RTO. “This board is highly engaged and energized, so we had no shortage of ideas or volunteers.”

The board meeting concluded with a big catchup session, during which everyone shared how they did – both professionally and personally – during 2020. Best practices, lessons learned, and funny stories were shared in abundance.

FRDA board members attending included Ruben Flores of R&B Dreammakers, dba Premier Rental-Purchase, Mike Gavidia, Chris Kale Jr. of Happy’s Home Centers Inc, Chris Kale Sr. of CPL Group Inc., dba Rent King, Shirin Kanji of Impact RTO Holdings, dba Rent-A-Center, Paul Metivier of Impact RTO Holdings, dba Rent-A-Center, Adam Sutton of RNR Tire Express, and Sharon Tomaszewski of Rent King/Great Rooms.

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Mike Lewis

Central Properties dba Premier Rental-Purchase

Mike Lewis is a Premier Rental Purchase franchisee with multiple stores and currently serves as Vice President of Operations. With 33 years of experience in the rent-to-own industry, he has spent the past 20 years working closely with franchisee owners and previously spent 12 years in Corporate RTO, gaining a strong foundation in the business.

For the past five years, Mike has been sharing his knowledge by teaching managers and franchisees at the company’s Training Center.

Outside of work, he enjoys time with his family, kids, and grandkids, and appreciates the simple things in life – especially riding his Harley Davidson with the sun on his face. If you know, you know!

Lauren Talicska

Arona Corporation dba Arona Home Essentials

Lauren Talicska is an experienced multi-channel marketing specialist and the Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Arona Home Essentials. She has found her home in the RTO community, supporting stores in branding, growth, and increasing traffic.

You may recognize Lauren as a former RTO vendor, including her time as a partner for Nationwide RentDirect, or her previous participation in the APRO Vendor Advisory Committee. Lauren calls Columbus, Ohio, home and spends her workday crafting and executing marketing promotions from inception to realization, all while supporting the branding and social media needs of all the Arona stores in 12 states (plus Puerto Rico!).

Charles Smitherman

APRO

Charles Smitherman, JD, PhD, CAE, became CEO of APRO in 2023, bringing years of legal and executive experience in the rent-to-own industry. 

Prior to joining the association, Charles served as COO, General Counsel, and Vice President of PTS Financial Services, where he played an active role in the rent-to-own industry by representing his company through PTS’s club program offering with APRO member dealers. Charles is an attorney with two decades of experience across a wide variety of areas, including RTO, consumer financial services, antitrust, corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, litigation, franchise law, and privacy law. Following law school at the University of Georgia, Charles earned a Master of Legal Studies and PhD in Law from the University of Oxford in England.

Charles is credentialed as a Certified Association Executive (CAE) with the American Society of Association Executives, a Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) with the International Franchise Association, and a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) and Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM) through the International Association of Privacy Professionals. As APRO’s sixth CEO in its 45-year history, he brings a collaborative, member-focused approach to association leadership, emphasizing transparency, advocacy, and value creation. Outside of work, Charles is an active ultra runner and open water swimmer.

Mike Kays

Ashley Furniture Industries

As VP of Rental Sales for Ashley Furniture Industries, Mike thrives on building relationships with our RTO industry veterans, and helping businesses grow through new product, new marketing, and new supply chain options.

Mike works to leverage a wide breadth of relationships and influence, intimate knowledge of market trends, and unique knowledge of what RTO dealers need from a supplier to be successful.

The saying goes that a high tide raises all boats, and our goal is to leverage the world’s largest furniture manufacturer to drive the continued growth of the RTO industry and all the suppliers.

Mike Tissot

Countryside Rentals Inc., dba Rent-2-Own

Mike grew up in the rent-to-own industry under the guidance of his father, former APRO President and RTO legend Darrell Tissot. For nearly 25 years, Mike’s innovative leadership has helped expand the family business to more than 40 stores across Ohio and Kentucky while also shaping the industry as a whole.

He has served as President of the Ohio Rental Dealers Association, an APRO board member and Treasurer, and President and Treasurer of the TRIB Group. His contributions have earned him the APRO President’s Award of Excellence and the title of APRO Rental Dealer of the Year.

Outside of RTO, Mike enjoys time at the lake house or in Orange Beach, Alabama, with his girlfriend, Angela Strong McCool. A passionate Cincinnati Reds fan, he rarely misses a game, whether watching or listening alongside his parents. He also takes every opportunity to visit Arizona, where his daughter is currently attending Arizona State University.