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Industry Dignitaries Descend Upon Springfield, IL for IRDA Annual Meeting

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Casey Pristou, presented APRO’s Executive Director, Bill Keese, with a unique custom made Championship Belt commemorating Bill’s staunch support of Illinois’ Rental Dealers and his outstanding service to the RTO industry.
The Illinois Rental Dealer’s Association hosted industry dignitaries from across the country at its 2016 annual meeting held on Wednesday, October 12, 2016, in Springfield, Illinois. The meeting was action-packed from start to finish and featured an impressive roster of speakers. APRO’s President, Mark Connelly, Legal Counsel, Ed Winn, and Executive Director, Bill Keese, addressed the membership. Mike Tissot, President of Countryside Rentals, reprised his blockbuster presentation from this year’s APRO Fuse Conference, “Vote RTO 2016 – Get Your Customers’ and your Team’s Vote.”  Mike broke new ground in his presentation by sharing with the group the results of his proprietary customer research. The meeting had a very special moment when Bill Keese was recognized and honored by the IRDA for his long and successful career as Executive Director of APRO. Ed Winn described in detail the first time he met Bill and how he was hired as Executive Director 28 years ago. IRDA President, Casey Pristou, presented Bill with a unique custom made Championship Belt, commissioned by the IRDA, commemorating Bill’s staunch support of Illinois’ Rental Dealers and his outstanding service to the RTO industry. The IRDA continued its tradition of charitable giving by donating $11,500 to Louisiana Flood Victims. The funds were raised through the IRDA’s Louisiana Flood Relief Initiative. The relief funds are being distributed by the Louisiana Rental Dealer’s Association. LRDA President, Louis Bacile, sent a video message that thanked those who donated, showed footage of the devastation and contained heartfelt personal messages from victims who have benefited from flood relief contributions. Finally, Cheryl Mitchell, Executive Director of The Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship addressed the meeting.  The Midland Institute administers the Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) program that is taking the country by storm. CEO partners with a community’s businesses and local school systems to mentor high school juniors and seniors to become the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders. Rent One announced that it has committed to invest $10,000 over 4 years to fund several CEO chapters. Additionally, Watershed Development Corporation announced that it has committed to invest $3,000 in the Sterling, Illinois CEO chapter. Click here to view photos from IRDA’s annual meeting. About IRDA The Illinois Rental Dealers Association (IRDA) works closely with the Association of Progressive Rental Organizations (APRO) to provide membership and the general public with the latest information regarding legislative initiatives concerning the rent-to-own industry. The IRDA works to ensure a vital future for its industry through networking, education, political outreach and legislative vigilance.

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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.