RTO Support After Hurricane Katrina Serves as a Model for Harvey
Even if your home or business are hundreds of miles from the destructive path that Hurricane Harvey took in late August, the storm has affected you. It’s affected all of us, to varying degrees. (Did you have to wait in line at the gas pump to fill up this week?) For those who have suffered the most—those along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast—help is at hand, and for those who have suffered much less, help is needed.
If any of your RTO employees have been personally displaced or suffered damages due to Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath, please notify APRO as soon as possible. We can help. APRO’s RTO Employee Disaster Relief Fund provides financial support to APRO RTO employees who need assistance after a natural disaster.
To begin the process of determining eligibility and potential disbursement, contact APRO’s Richard May, at 800/204-2776, ext. 104, info@rtohq.org, after contacting the owner of the company for which you work. Or click here to complete and submit APRO’s RTO Employee Disaster Relief Fund application.
A total has yet to be determined for the damages that Harvey caused, but as someone who dealt with the aftermath Hurricane Katrina, Baber’s Shannon Strunk knows the likely scenario for many along the coast right now. Mississippi-based Baber’s had 50 Gulf-Coast-state stores in 2005, with hundreds of employees and thousands of customers. “It was devastating,” Strunk says of Katrina’s destruction. “Almost half of our stores were closed for more than two weeks, three of the stores’ buildings were completely decimated or uninhabitable and seven stores directly on the coast had lost most of their customers. A ton of our customers lost everything they had, including our products, because so many homes were destroyed or just gone. You simply can’t buy enough insurance to cover this sort of an event and the impact it has on your company.”
Baber’s Shannon Strunk amidst the damages caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005
Many Baber’s employees were experiencing extreme personal losses, as well. So, for employees who couldn’t work because their stores were closed, the Strunks continued to pay them, and for employees who could work, the Strunks urged them to return to work as soon as possible.
“We learned that the best way to help our employees was to force them back to work, to get them focused on something,” Strunk explains. “It’s kind of like a car accident—you’re just dazed and don’t know what to do with yourself. At home, they couldn’t do much; but at work, they had a purpose.” Fortunately, after years of hard work, Baber’s rebounded and thrives today.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, APRO members contributed more than $190,000 to help rent-to-own employees get back on their feet. The contributions helped 159 employees recover and led to a permanent fund at APRO specifically for such purposes, the RTO Employee Disaster Relief Fund. It is administered through APRO’s charitable foundation, so all of the contributions are tax exempt. Every dollar raised goes directly to rent-to-own employees in need.
In light of the recent devastation along the Texas coast, APRO is urging RTO professionals to contribute to the fund so that victims of Hurricane Harvey—specifically, employees in the rent-to-own industry—can get the help they need. Please encourage your employees to contribute, as well. A small contribution will make a big difference and will demonstrate yet again that the RTO industry strives to secure the good of others.
“Natural disasters happen all the time, and the big-time organizations, like the American Red Cross, that come in to help with catastrophic events truly care for only a specific area or group,” Strunk asserts. “There’s no one there to pick up the fringe work. I believe that’s a need that will exist forever, and rent-to-own should keep addressing it. It’s great to be a part of an industry with the compassion and generosity to assist its associates and its communities during the worst of times.”
To contribute to APRO’s RTO Employee Disaster Relief Fund, contact Tulisha Wendele at 800/204-2776, ext. 111, info@rtohq.org.
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.
Even if your home or business are hundreds of miles from the destructive path that Hurricane Harvey took in late August, the storm has affected you. It’s affected all of us, to varying degrees. (Did you have to wait in line at the gas pump to fill up this week?) For those who have suffered the most—those along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast—help is at hand, and for those who have suffered much less, help is needed.
If any of your RTO employees have been personally displaced or suffered damages due to Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath, please notify APRO as soon as possible. We can help. APRO’s RTO Employee Disaster Relief Fund provides financial support to APRO RTO employees who need assistance after a natural disaster.
To begin the process of determining eligibility and potential disbursement, contact APRO’s Richard May, at 800/204-2776, ext. 104, info@rtohq.org, after contacting the owner of the company for which you work. Or click here to complete and submit APRO’s RTO Employee Disaster Relief Fund application.
A total has yet to be determined for the damages that Harvey caused, but as someone who dealt with the aftermath Hurricane Katrina, Baber’s Shannon Strunk knows the likely scenario for many along the coast right now. Mississippi-based Baber’s had 50 Gulf-Coast-state stores in 2005, with hundreds of employees and thousands of customers. “It was devastating,” Strunk says of Katrina’s destruction. “Almost half of our stores were closed for more than two weeks, three of the stores’ buildings were completely decimated or uninhabitable and seven stores directly on the coast had lost most of their customers. A ton of our customers lost everything they had, including our products, because so many homes were destroyed or just gone. You simply can’t buy enough insurance to cover this sort of an event and the impact it has on your company.”
