Aaron’s And Former NFL Star Kurt Warner Celebrate Independence Through Home Ownership In St. Louis
Retired NFL quarterback Kurt Warner and his wife Brenda greet new St. Louis homeowner Kamerial and her children before a surprise unveiling of a home full of furniture donated by Aaron’s, Inc. and its divisions Aaron’s and Progressive Leasing. The awarded home was a result of a partnership of Aaron’s, U-Haul, Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis, and Kurt Warner and his wife Brenda’s First Things First Foundation (FTFF).
Aaron’s, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), a leading omnichannel provider of lease-purchase solutions, and its divisions Aaron’s and Progressive Leasing, contributed the furnishings for a July surprise home presentation to St. Louis resident Kamerial as part of the company’s ongoing partnership with the “Homes for the Holidays” program.
The awarded home was a result of a partnership of Aaron’s, U-Haul, Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis, and retired NFL quarterback Kurt Warner, his wife Brenda, and their First Things First Foundation (FTFF). This was the 44th family to be surprised by FTFF’s “Homes for the Holidays” program.
“Aaron’s takes great joy in joining with Kurt Warner’s First Things First Foundation and Habitat for Humanity once again to provide a safe and stable home to a family in need,” said John Robinson, CEO of Aaron’s, Inc. “We are committed to giving back to communities across the country and we know Kamerial and her children will enjoy their new home for many years.”
The home was presented to Kamerial and her two daughters, 10-year-old Heaven and one-year-old Spirit. Before receiving their new home, the family lived in apartments with little space for the children to play. They look forward to making new memories in their new two-story home and spacious backyard. Kamerial works as a registered medical assistant at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and also styles hair on the weekends to make ends meet.
Unbeknownst to Kamerial’s family, their new home was fully furnished, including furniture, a washer and dryer, and technology, with an approximate total retail value of $10,000 thanks to Aaron’s.
Aaron’s, Inc., a leading omnichannel provider of lease-purchase solutions, and its divisions Aaron’s and Progressive Leasing, contributed the furnishings for a July surprise home presentation to St. Louis resident Kamerial as part of the company’s ongoing partnership with the “Homes for the Holidays” program.
The “Homes for the Holidays” program was initiated in 1997 by former NFL running back Warrick Dunn. In St. Louis, the First Things First Foundation teams with community organizations dedicated to affordable homeownership such as Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis to find eligible candidates who are working hard to better their lives and those of their children by taking the necessary steps to buy a new home. Nomination forms are completed by affordable housing representatives and reviewed and selected by the Kurt Warner First Things First Foundation. The First Things First Foundation has surprised a total of 44 families with a cumulative 104 children with “Homes for the Holidays” in St. Louis(20), Iowa (4), New Jersey (1) and Arizona (19).
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 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 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 is a not-for-profit, ecumenical housing ministry working in partnership with individuals and communities of all faiths to provide safe, decent and affordable housing in the St. Louis community. Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope. With more than 335 homes already built, Habitat is one of the leading housing developers in St. Louis. Sponsors include corporations, organizations, religious groups, and individuals. According to the USGBC, Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis is the largest producer of LEED Certified Platinum single-family detached homes in the United States. Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis can be found on-line at: www.habitatstl.org; twitter @habitatstl; and blog www.habitatstl.org/blog.
SOURCE Aaron’s, Inc.
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.
