The Illinois Rental Dealers Association will hold its annual meeting on Thursday, October 25 at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel in Springfield, Illinois. This year’s theme is, “Navigating the Current Ambiguity and Uncertainty of RTO,” that will focus on driving innovation, sparking creativity and ensuring sustainability in an ever changing industry.
“We are now living and operating in a very different world than the one that existed just a year ago,” says IRDA President Casey Pristou. “No one really knows what is coming around the next corner. We are all operating on uneven footing. Still, our jobs as owners, operators and vendors haven’t fundamentally changed. While we cannot predict the future, we can make sure to be prepared to live in it, make sense of it, and navigate whatever upheavals arise.”
On the agenda are presentations by APRO General Counsel Ed Winn III, IRDA’s Government Relations consultant Mike Houlihan and Imagery Marketing Group’s Managing Member Kelly Martin. The meeting will also include a panel discussion on this year’s theme led by industry experts Rent One’s Larry Carrico, National Rent to Own’s Steve Braning and Watershed Development Corporation’s Mike Ceruzzi.
The meeting is free to IRDA members, their employees and guests. Lunch will be provided and pre-registration is required to attend. For more information, contact Casey Pristou at 847/816-0106, cpristou@watersheddc.com.
Click here for more information on registration and accommodations. 
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!
