Rental dealers and vendors from across the country gathered last week in Washington, D.C. for the 2018 APRO Legislative Conference. The RTO constituents convened at the nation’s capital to educate members of Congress on the rent-to-own industry, ensuring they understand the nature of the business, the communities they serve and the impact the industry makes on their communities.
More than 100 meetings were held on Capitol Hill February 7-9, between RTO professionals from 19 different states and their representatives in the House and Senate. In total, meetings were held with 80 Congressional offices and 25 Senate offices.
Joe Hickey, Larry Carrico, Jill McClure, Apu Naik, David Keen and Trent Agin met with Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL, 8th District) on Wednesday, February 7, at the 2018 APRO Legislative Conference.
On Wednesday, February 7, Rent One’s Larry Carrico, David Keen and Trent Agin, Audit Advantage‘s Joe Hickey, APRO Executive Director Jill McClure and APRO Director of Government Relations Apu Naik met with Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL, 8th District) regarding, among other things, the nature of the RTO industry in Illinois. “The Congressman already knew Gopal Reddy and had visitedseveral of his Aaron’s Stores in Illinois, and was therefore very knowledgeable of the rent-to-own industry, along with the economic impact our industry has within the state of Illinois,” says David Keen. “As a small businessman himself, he asked a variety of questions on how Congress can further enhance the growth of small business.” During the meeting, Krishnamoorthi asked for support on a bill he was sponsoring, which the Rent One team felt was more than a worthy cause to advocate for. “Representative Krishnamoorthi mentioned the sponsorship of HR 2353 Perkins Career and Technical Education Program, which passed with bipartisan support in the House and was currently under consideration in the Senate,” according to Keen. “This bill is important to our industry, as it invests in both career and technical education and will help prepare our workers, so they can compete in today’s workforce.”
David Kaye met with Congresswoman Illena Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL, 27th District) on Thursday, February 8, at the 2018 APRO Legislative Conference.Congresswoman Illena Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL, 27th District) met with Benefit Marketing SolutionsDavid Kaye on Thursday, February 8, to discuss the RTO transaction in Florida. “Representative Ros-Lehtinen fully embraced the RTO industry and was very positive in her comments regarding our business model,” says Kaye. “We can only hope that this support continues after her departure this year.” With Representative Lehtinen not seeking reelection in 2018, Florida’s 27th district will be one to watch closely.
Across the capital complex in the Senatorial offices, JR Squared Enterprises, dba. Premier Rental Purchase’sJim Ratner took the opportunity to strengthen a longstanding relationship with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) on Thursday, February 8. “I’ve been meeting with Senator Collins every year for the last 10 years,” recalls Ratner. “Her family owns a small business in Maine. She is receptive to our issues and I feel that she would be an advocate for our industry if either federal legislation gets some traction or if something that may have a negative impact on our industry was coming down the pike.”
Jim Ratner and John Reichenbach met with Susan Collins (R-ME) on Thursday, February 8, at the 2018 APRO Legislative Conference.
This year’s industry message to legislators focused on informing members of Congress on the rent-to-own industry to avoid misunderstandings and mischaracterizations of the RTO transaction. “If and when future legislative issues arise, we want to make sure our legislators are informed about our industry and know that they have constituents to contact if they have any questions or concerns,” says APRO Director of Government Relations Apu Naik.
Click here to view more photos of this years Legislative Conference.
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.
Rental dealers and vendors from across the country gathered last week in Washington, D.C. for the 2018 APRO Legislative Conference. The RTO constituents convened at the nation’s capital to educate members of Congress on the rent-to-own industry, ensuring they understand the nature of the business, the communities they serve and the impact the industry makes on their communities.
More than 100 meetings were held on Capitol Hill February 7-9, between RTO professionals from 19 different states and their representatives in the House and Senate. In total, meetings were held with 80 Congressional offices and 25 Senate offices.
