Rent-A-Center Promotes Doug Guziec to SVP and General Manager of National Accounts for AcceptanceNow
AcceptanceNow, a nationwide pioneer in the operation of rent-to-own kiosks within third-party retail outlets, announces the promotion of Doug Guziec to senior vice president and general manager of national accounts.
Guziec will provide strategic oversight for all aspects of AcceptanceNow’s new, national accounts, driving how AcceptanceNow’s business-to-business and business-to-consumer functions evolve and perform for these strategically-critical retailers. He will report to Mark Denman, executive vice president, AcceptanceNow.
“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to serve Mark and the rest of the AcceptanceNow team in this capacity. We believe the value proposition of our model is far superior to alternatives, and the prospect of providing it to large, national accounts is exciting not only for AcceptanceNow, but for me personally,” stated Guziec.
Guziec joined Rent-A-Center in 2011, and most recently led the company’s strategy, pricing, e-Commerce, decision analytics, EPMO and business development teams. In that role, he refocused pricing strategy and enhanced key pricing processes; led the development, pilot and launch of e-Commerce; and steered the development of the decision analytics and customer approval capabilities to enable Rent-A-Center’s rent-to-own transaction to extend to virtual opportunities.
“While AcceptanceNow’s commercial capabilities team continues to create a strong pipeline of new retail partner opportunities, AcceptanceNow’s growth and profitability also hinge on our ability to ensure our business model meets our clients’ unique needs. Retailers simply do not want a one-size-fits-all solution,” stated Denman. “Doug is the right person to optimize our business model for these opportunities and push our capabilities to accelerate AcceptanceNow’s untapped potential.”
Guziec is a veteran strategy leader and brings a wide span of strategy experience to this new role. Prior to Rent-A-Center, he led strategic planning for privately-held healthcare services firm (Vizient) and held positions at strategy consulting firms Bain & Company and PwC’s Strategy&, and the Strategic Planning/M&A group at JPMorgan Chase. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Southern Methodist University with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and a degree in mathematics. He received his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania with majors in finance and strategic management where he received top honors as a Palmer Scholar.
About Rent-A-Center
A rent-to-own industry leader, Plano, Texas-based Rent-A-Center, Inc. is focused on improving the quality of life for its customers by providing them the opportunity to obtain ownership of high-quality, durable goods such as consumer electronics, appliances, computers, furniture and accessories, under flexible rental purchase agreements with no long-term obligation. The Company owns and operates approximately 2,800 stores in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico, and approximately 2,000 AcceptanceNOW kiosk locations in the United States and Puerto Rico. Rent-A-Center Franchising International (previously ColorTyme, Inc.), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, is a franchisor of approximately 227 rent-to-own stores operating under the trade name of “Rent-A-Center,” “ColorTyme,” or “RimTyme.”
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.
