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Q&A: Rent-A-Center’s Angela Yochem Wants More CIOs on Boards

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Angela Yochem, CIO of Rent-A-Center, talked with CIO Journal about what boards should seek in a CIO. PHOTO: RENT-A-CENTER INC.
More companies are adding technology executives to their boards of directors as business models come to rely increasingly on IT and data. “The thought of having your business governed by a board without strong technology foundations, it doesn’t make any sense,” says Angela Yochem, CIO of Rent-A-Center Inc. Last month Ms. Yochem joined the board of analytics startup Rocana Inc. Still, CIOs are not well-represented on public boards because boards are sometimes unsure about the kind of technology skills and experience they need and turnover among directors is slow, she says. Ms. Yochem, who also served on the board of Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh for more than two years, talked with CIO Journal about what boards should seek in a CIO and what CIOs should gain from a board appointment. What was your early board experience? At the Federal Home Loan Bank, they were explicitly seeking somebody who could provide expertise in cybersecurity. This was soon after the Target breach, where directors were removed from the Target’s board. That’s no joke. That’s a black mark. They also wanted to look at technology in terms of innovation, not just protection. It used to be that boards designated a technology person from a large tech vendor. That is well and good but not sufficient. It takes somebody with deep understand of how to introduce risk and opportunity in the corporate use of technology. What holds CIOs back? There is a level of sophistication expected at the board level that sometimes is not found in a sitting CIO. That’s changing as the demands and expectations for a good CIO generally are changing. CIOs now should be strong business leaders in addition to deep technologists. It’s hard to find people of that mix, though they are growing in number. What do you want from participating on a board? When I consider whether to join a board, what I think about is, is it an interesting company. The second thing is the people. Do I respect them? Do I believe they’re ethical? Am I going to learn from them? Am I going to grow as a result of this engagement? And am I going to enjoy this engagement? What I think is foundational to this idea of CIOs joining boards is that today it’s just impossible to separate business evolution from technology advancement. The thought of having your business governed by a board without strong technology foundations, it doesn’t make any sense. Source: The Wall Street Journal

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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.