Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

Rent One’s Mark Williams Escorts Veteran to D.C. on Honor Flight

Mark Williams with Korean War veteran Robert “Ike” Crnokrak boarding the Veterans Honor Flight of Southern Illinois.
Rent One’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing Mark Williams and his wife Nicole participated in the Veterans Honor Flight of Southern Illinois guardian program by escorting two veterans to Washington, D.C. last week. The Honor Flight program is a nationwide network dedicated to providing all veterans who apply a free trip to D.C. to visit memorials honoring their service and sacrifice. Mark and Nicole were the guardians of Korean War veterans Robert “Ike” Crnokrak and Frank Savka.
United States Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) with veteran Robert “Ike” Crnokrak in Washington, D.C.
The event took place on Tuesday, April 24 where nearly 70 veterans from World War II, Vietnam and Korea left for our nation’s capital before dawn and returned to Marion, Illinois just after 8:00 p.m. “A lot of people said, ‘Oh, that’s a long day!’ but to me, only in hours,” shares Williams. “It was logistically one of the coolest things I’ve ever witnessed and been a part of. There are so many people and organizations that are involved to make sure this event goes on without a hitch. The logistic side of it is amazing but the other side, to accompany the veterans that have so much respect and admiration for each other, and then to see them experience the memorials, you see the emotions, it was incredible.”
Korean War veteran Robert “Ike” Crnokrak at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Rent One is a strong supporter of veterans, oftentimes by employment, and this time by sponsoring Mark’s trip. “This was a huge opportunity to honor, respect and give thanks to our past heroes,” says Rent One Chief Executive Officer Larry Carrico. “The sponsorship is about honoring, encouraging other people to get involved and bringing the community together. Mark going himself shows a great deal of commitment, to take time to go, and by his connection to the efforts.” Click here to learn more about the Veterans Honor Flight of Southern Illinois.

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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.