Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

Meet RTO employee Tennyson Cox

APRO members have historically named networking and being part of the RTO family as the biggest reasons to being involved in the industry and APRO. There are so many APRO member employees that are involved in their state associations, APRO or the community, we thought it would be a good idea to introduce them to the APRO family. Tennyson Tennyson Cox has been involved with the RTO industry for 15 years. Tennyson is the Director of Operational Support for SEI/Aaron’s Inc., dba Aaron’s Sales & Lease owned by APRO Board of Directors, Charles “Chas” Smithgall IV with 107 stores throughout New York, Massachusetts, Maine, Kentucky, Indiana, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. We asked Tennyson some questions about her RTO career, involvement with APRO and what she enjoys on her time off.

How long have you been with the company and what are your general tasks?

15 years. My primary responsibility is managing the Operational Support Office in East Hartford, CT, which provides administrative and operational support to 107 SEI/Aaron’s stores. In addition, I oversee two service centers that repair computers and electronics for over 90 stores.

Tell us about your unique perspective working in the home office of a multi-store company.

There are many moving parts in a store on a daily basis. The Operational Support Office handles things such as part ordering, damage claims, and service issues that can be very time-consuming for the stores to handle on their own. Anything we can do to make their jobs easier is our goal. This allows them to focus on the two most important aspects of the business, leasing and renewing.

What is the philosophy of your company?

SEI/Aaron’s lives by four values every day:
  1. A reputation for a quality, integrity, and responsibility.
  2. Treating our associates and our customers as we would want to be treated.
  3. Development of an outstanding leadership team.
  4. Planned financial growth.
Our second value is essentially the Golden Rule: Treating our associates and our customers as we would want to be treated. I believe by living this value every day we will always be successful.

What changes have you seen in the RTO industry since you started?

As far as the transaction itself, not too many. Customers that are cash or credit constrained still like the rent-to-own transaction because it gives them the ability to have the items they want and need for their homes. Customers like the flexibility of RTO and also the relationship they have with the associates in the store.

What challenges do you see for the industry today and in the next five years?

The biggest challenge I see is making a seamless transition to online ordering. The younger generation want the ease of ordering online and doesn’t necessarily want to walk into a brick-and-mortar store to lease or purchase something. With the online transaction, we lose part of the relationship with the customer on which the rent-to-own industry has been built. It will be important to make the online customer feel as special as the ones that walk through our doors. Tennyson3

Tell us about your family.

I have been married to my husband, Patrick, for 12 years, and we have two beautiful daughters, Audrey (10) and Mazie (7). And I can’t leave out our 12-year-old Lab, Bourbon (who we rescued from New Orleans). When off work, Tennyson likes to watch her daughters participate in their extracurricular activities, including soccer, gymnastics, and basketball. She enjoys participating in craft fairs during the Fall, where she sells fleece hats that she sews. Tennyson likes running, staying active, and being outdoors as much as she can. You can see more of Tennyson’s handcrafted hats here: http://www.tennysontoppies.com/

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Mike Lewis

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.