Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

Aaron’s, Progressive Leasing And Former NFL Star Kurt Warner Deliver Two “Homes For The Holidays”

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St. Louis Single Moms Get Homes Outfitted by Aaron’s and Progressive Leasing with Furniture, Appliances and Technology
Aaron’s, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), a leader in the sales and lease ownership and specialty retailing of furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, and Progressive Leasing, a division of Aaron’s, Inc., contributed the furnishings for two surprise home presentations on Friday to St. Louis residents and new homeowners Camille H. and Latonia H. The surprise home presentations were a result of a partnership of Aaron’s, Progressive Leasing, retired NFL quarterback Kurt Warner, his wife Brenda, and their First Things First Foundation (FTFF), Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis and U-Haul. The families were the 42nd and 43rd respectively to be surprised by FTFF’s “Homes for the Holidays” program. “We’re so pleased to partner again with the First Things First Foundation and Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis to furnish two homes for single mothers and their children this holiday season,” said John Robinson, CEO of Aaron’s, Inc. “Camille and Latonia are first-time homeowners and we’re proud of their commitment to achieving financial independence and stability through homeownership.” Prior to becoming a homeowner through this program, Camille lived in a neighborhood where her children could not play outside due to violence and crime. She works for the Housing Authority fulltime as a caseworker for families living below poverty. Latonia was inspired to become a nurse as a young girl after watching her grandmother pass away from heart failure. She looks forward to being able to host extended family for the holidays and Sunday dinners. aarons-a-akamaihdUnbeknownst to either of the families, their new homes were fully furnished, including all of the furniture, a washer and dryer, and a computer. The estimated retail value of the furnishings from Aaron’s and Progressive Leasing is approximately $10,000 per home. “Thanks to Aaron’s and Progressive Leasing, we were able to surprise both of these families with homes full of furniture, electronics and appliances,” said Warner. “It’s vital to encourage single parents who are working hard to provide a safe environment for their children and equally rewarding to see what an enormous impact the gift of a fully furnished home has on their family for years to come.” About Aaron’s, Inc. Headquartered in Atlanta, Aaron’s, Inc. (NYSE: AAN) is a leader in the sales and lease ownership and specialty retailing of furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, and currently has more than 1,930 Company-operated and franchised stores in 47 states and Canada.  Progressive Leasing, a leading virtual lease-to-own company, provides lease-purchase solutions through approximately 19,000 retail locations in 46 states. Dent-A-Med, Inc. (DAMI), d/b/a the HELPcard®, provides a variety of second-look credit products that are originated through a federally insured bank.  Aaron’s was founded in 1955, has been publicly traded since 1982 and owns the Aarons.com, ProgLeasing.com, and HELPcard.com brands. For more information, visit www.aarons.com. About the Kurt Warner First Things First Foundation Established in 2001, the Kurt Warner First Things First Foundation is a 501(c)3 public charity serving as a vehicle for Kurt and Brenda Warner to reach out to the community and share their blessings with those in need.  The First Things First Foundation is dedicated to impacting lives by promoting Christian values, sharing experiences and providing opportunities to encourage everyone that all things are possible when people to seek to put “first things first.” Additional information is available at www.kurtwarner.org. About Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis (HFHSL) is a not-for-profit, ecumenical housing ministry working in partnership with individuals and communities of all faiths to improve housing conditions and provide safe, decent and affordable housing in St. Louis City and County. Seeking to put God’s love into action, HFHSL brings people together to build homes, communities and hope. With nearly 400 homes already built or rehabbed, HFHSL is one of the leading housing developers in St. Louis. HFHSL regularly ranks among the top Habitat for Humanity affiliates in the country. HFHSL donors, volunteers, and partner families work side-by-side to build or rehab homes ensuring that every deserving family in St. Louis has a decent place to live. In addition to a down payment and a 30-year affordable mortgage, each HFHSL homebuyer invests 350 sweat-equity volunteer hours into building or rehabbing a home and attending life skills classes. Homeowners are teachers, healthcare providers and returning college students determined to achieve homeownership and create a legacy for their families.Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis:  Building Homes, Building Hope, Building St. Louis.For more information, visit:www.habitatstl.org.

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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.