Association of Progressive Rental Organizations (APRO)
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Serta-Simmons Luxury Car Giveaway at AVB Summit

SertaSimmons awards Audi
Heather Morrissey, Mike Derro, and Scott DeSantis present brand new Audi A3 to David Jones.
Serta-Simmons stepped up big time with a huge giveaway that generated loads of excitement at the AVB Summit in Orlando last week. They decided to give away a luxury Audi A-3 to a lucky BrandSource member David Jones of Jones Appliance & TV, Inc. in Iowa Falls. David’s name was drawn among the scores of contestants that anxiously held their tickets as Scott DeSantis Senior Director of Sales, Buying Groups and Mike Derro VP of Sales, Buying Groups of Serta Simmons Bedding selected the winner. David was thrilled to win the car and was still shaking when he signed the paperwork shortly after the drawing.  He expressed his thanks to Serta-Simmons Bedding and is an avid supporter of the Serta Simmons Bedding products and is an exclusive Serta Mattress Store. To qualify, contestants were required to attend 2 of the following presentations:
  • SleepSource Compact Gallery Presentation
  • The “AMP”  cooperative marketing  program  (New Cooperative Marketing Program to Support Independent Retailers and Amplify Share of Voice in Local Markets)
  • Stage Presentation on the Serta, Beautyrest, Majestic Sleep or adjustable bases.
David Jones wins Audi
Mike Derro and Scott DeSantis of Serta Simmons congratulate David Jones (center) on winning the brand new Audi A3.
The car was a fully loaded Audi A3 Quattro®, brand new car ready for David to take home. Serta-Simmons Bedding stepped up even further and is paying to have the car shipped back to Iowa and car has arrived to it’s new home safely! “The promotion increased traffic and awareness for the Serta & Beautyrest  brands at the show and generated the most traffic they ever had at an AVB show” according to . Heather Morrissey, Sales Program Manager for Serta Simmons Bedding.  “We had a successful show that generated many new prospective retailers that we look forward to becoming Serta and Beautyrest dealers” added DeSantis. About AVB Associated Volume Buyers (AVB) is a member-owned merchandising group with more than $17 billion in annual retail sales, nearly 4,500 independent members and over 8,000 stores in the North America. AVB has many active strategic alliances and Divisions, which include:  BrandSource, Canada’s Mega Group, TRIB the industry’s premier rent-to-own group, ProSource the largest consumer electronics group in the US, and the newly formed home furnishings buying group HFA Buying Source, managed exclusively for HFA. As the largest unified merchandising group by number of members and volume in North America, AVB has the ability to negotiate strong programs with manufacturers and service providers in order keep its independent retailer members relevant and competitive in the consumer marketplace. Please visit www.brandsource.com or joinbrandsource.com for more information. Media Contact: Jennifer Baldwin | BrandSource | 714-984-6644 | Jennifer.Baldwin@BrandSource.com
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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.