Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

Aaron’s Names Michael Jarnagin President of Woodhaven Furniture Industries

Aaron's furniture WoodhavenAaron’s, Inc., a leading omnichannel provider of lease-purchase solutions, announced that veteran furniture industry executive Michael W. Jarnagin has been named President of Woodhaven Furniture Industries, a manufacturer of durable and affordable home furnishings. Jarnagin has deep roots at Woodhaven and Aaron’s, having been recruited by Aaron’s founder Charlie Loudermilk, as plant manager of MacTavish Furniture Industries in 1984. MacTavish changed its name to Woodhaven Furniture Industries in 2010. During his tenure at Woodhaven as Vice President of Manufacturing, Jarnagin doubled the number of bedding facilities and bedding revenue for the company and has been working aggressively to expand the availability of Woodhaven furniture beyond Aaron’s retail stores to the nation’s top 100 retailers. He also implemented the Retail Partner program, an initiative that continues to grow with both the Woodhaven and Aaron’s brands. “Mike’s experience, creativity and leadership skills make him the ideal choice to be the President of Woodhaven Furniture Industries,” said John Robinson, CEO of Aaron’s, Inc. “While continuing our tradition of making high-quality furniture, he has taken significant steps to ensure that Woodhaven offers different styles to meet our customers’ changing needs.” Jarnagin’s leadership includes taking the initiative to create environmentally responsible manufacturing practices at Woodhaven. Notably, Woodhaven has developed innovative ways to recycle scrap materials, use sustainable wood products in furniture, reduce the use of light fixtures in manufacturing plants and use excess wood waste for heating. “I’m truly appreciative of the opportunity to lead Woodhaven Furniture Industries,” Jarnagin said. “Aaron’s has been incredibly supportive of the Woodhaven division which makes this next step all the more exciting.” Through the years, Jarnagin has received numerous awards and accolades, including leading Woodhaven to receiving the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Green Save Award in recognition of Woodhaven’s environmental program. About Aaron’s, Inc. Headquartered in Atlanta, Aaron’s, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), is a leading omnichannel provider of lease-purchase solutions. The Aaron’s Business engages in the sales and lease ownership and specialty retailing of furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories through its more than 1,800 Company-operated and franchised stores in 47 states and Canada, as well as its e-commerce platform, Aarons.com. In addition, Progressive Leasing, a virtual lease-to-own company, provides lease-purchase solutions through approximately 22,000 retail locations in 46 states. Dent-A-Med, Inc., d/b/a the HELPcard®, provides a variety of second-look credit products that are originated through federally insured banks. For more information, visit investor.aarons.com, Aarons.com, ProgLeasing.com, and HELPcard.com. About Woodhaven Furniture Industries With over 45 years of experience, Woodhaven Furniture Industries bridges together the age-old tradition of handcrafted wood making with products that are manufactured using modern, state-of-the-art technology. Started in 1971 as MacTavish Furnitureindustries, Woodhaven is committed to providing durable and affordable home furnishings. From living room sets and loveseats to sectionals and mattresses, Woodhaven uses real wood and quality materials. Woodhaven furniture is proudly produced in America. Our furnishings are manufactured using 3D modeling technology which allows for the consistency in the quality of our products. Woodhaven tries to produce as many components in-house as possible, enabling us to control supply, product flow and quality. This ensures that our customers receive top-of-the-line furniture at a fraction of the cost of most retailers.

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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.