Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

John Blair Inducted Into the Georgia Military Veterans’ Hall of Fame

johnblairLongtime APRO member, rent-to-own veteran and RTO-industry vendor John Blair will be inducted into the Georgia Military Veterans’ Hall of Fame in November. He was one of only 17—out of 106 nominees—to be selected for the honor this year. Prior to this year’s inductees, there were only 49 other veterans in this prestigious group. Blair, vice president of sales for PTS Direct Benefits & Tax Service, received the Hall of Fame honor for his service in the U.S. Marine Corp during what many consider one of the most harrowing periods of the Vietnam War. He served in the battle of Khe Sanh, for which he earned the prestigious Silver Star.
According to the Georgia Military Veterans’ Hall of Fame board of directors, the evaluation and selection process for the Hall of Honor “was done in total secrecy and absolutely void of any outside influence. [Blair’s] sterling active duty record and post military life served [him] well and gained for [him] this rare and noble honor.” Recipients are awarded based on one of three categories: valor, achievement and service. Blair was honored for his valor during the Hall of Fame induction ceremony on November 5 in Columbus, Georgia.
In 1968, Blair was a member of the Third Battalion, Fourth Marines, India Co. stationed in Vietnam. APRO Executive Director Bill Keese was honored to be a spectator at a reunion of that company in 2006. One of Blair’s Marine buddies told Keese, “I would follow John through hell—and I did. He got us out of that mess alive!” Others at the reunion agreed that Blair is a true hero. In an unpopular war, one in which many sought to avoid service, Blair reported for duty. During the war’s dramatic Tet Offensive, Blair’s platoon came under heavy fire from a large North Vietnamese force. Blair, serving as squad leader, and his men were pinned down, but he didn’t hesitate to maneuver his squad forward and launch an assault on the enemy. He was awarded the Silver Star for his leadership and for disregarding his own safety that day. After being promoted to sergeant later that year, Blair was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal.
Blair has been involved in rent-to- own for decades, working for 11 years with Broyhill Furniture Rentals before becoming the first executive director of TRIB Group and serving in that capacity for 15 years. He was vice president of marketing and sales for M&B Jewelry (later CM Jewelry) for nine years and currently services the industry via RTO vendor PTS Direct Benefits & Tax Service. Blair has served on APRO’s vendor advisory committee since 2000. Read a profile of Blair in RTOHQ: The Magazine, September-October 2009 here: https://www.rtohq.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/JohnBlair_RTOHQSO09.pdf.

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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.