Association of Progressive Rental Organizations
JOIN APRO
JOIN APRO

Rent One Donation Benefits Local Children

Rent One Development Director David Keen presents $5,000 to Kingdom Seeds Ministries on behalf of Rent One and The Great Expectations Foundation.
APRO Members Larry and Sharron Carrico of Rent One recently donated $5,000 to Kingdom Seeds Ministries (KSM) in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, benefitting local children through various programs emphasizing mentoring, leadership and worship. Through the Great Expectations Foundation, created by the Carrico’s, the donation helped cover expenses for a recent camp run by KSM in June, which included chapel services, laser tag, bounce houses, arts and crafts and other activities. The Great Expectations Foundation was created by the Carrico’s to enhance the lives of children throughout the Midwest, and several local charities were awarded grants this year through Rent One and the foundation, including KSM, CASA of Jefferson County, Angels’ Cove and the United Way of South Central Illinois. APRO member and Rent One Development Director David Keen shares that employees from the company’s 85 stores in 11 regions select which charities to give to, and then Rent One and the foundation match those donations. “If [an employee] were to give a dollar, then Rent One matches a dollar and Larry and Sharon matches a dollar so it’s actually a three-for-one match,” says Keen. “So we give out hundreds of thousands of dollars throughout the Midwest pretty much.” Carrico says one of the unique aspects about this grant program is that employees choose the charities and communities they want their donations to go to, “It’s driven by people in the communities so the co-workers feel they’re a part of it.” Keen added that KSM was selected in particular because of the impact they have on the community and the nature of their organization. “We’re just very proud that we were able to donate,” says Keen. “They’re a fantastic organization and when our board met and read their application, we immediately decided to do that.” Rent One’s community donation was recognized by local newspaper, the Morning Sentinel.

Upcoming Events

View Calendar



Popular Resources

Sign up for APRO Today

Copyright © · All Rights Reserved · APRO Privacy Policy · APRO Antitrust Policy

Facebook Linkedin Twitter Youtube
Copyright © · All Rights Reserved · APRO Privacy Policy
Facebook Twitter Youtube Flickr

Mike Lewis

Central Properties dba Premier Rental-Purchase

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.