Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

Serrano Takes Ownership of the Future Through Community Engagement

2018 APRO scholarship recipient
Elyse Serrano

The admissions office, campus dormitories, local Lakeland churches, or Kenya, wherever the setting, APRO Education Foundation scholarship student Elyse Serrano understands the value of engaging with members of the community. The fourth-year student pursuing degrees in Accounting and Finance at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida, learned the value of engaging through personal relationships from her father Anthony Serrano, an RTO industry veteran of more than 20 years. In her final year at Southeastern University, Serrano is approaching the first major milestone on her path toward a Masters degree, a CPA certification, and ultimately lifting people out of the cycle of poverty.

Serrano credits her father’s work with Aaron’s with teaching her the importance of human relationships and community engagement. “I personally have heard stories of people who have been costumers of my dad’s for years and often follow him when he moves store to store,” Serrano says of her father’s ties to the community. Describing the central tenet of her father’s business, Serrano notes, “Customers are viewed as family instead of dollar signs.” As a front row witness to how the RTO industry’s focus on building up rapport with their customers, Serrano understands the importance of ongoing engagement. 

This insight has fueled Serrano’s remarkable academic career, where she has combined her work ethic with enthusiastic participation in community efforts. Serrano is a vital member of the Southeastern University community, hosting campus tours for prospective students as part of the Admissions Office, in addition to serving as a mentor and confidante for other students through her role as a Resident Assistant.

Outside of the university, Serrano has assisted the Lakeland community’s churches in recovery efforts after Hurricane Irma, as well as working for the 410 Bridge organization in Kenya. Serrano will be taking an internship with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP over the coming summer as she studies toward acquiring her CPA certification.

Serrano is a member of the 2018 cohort receiving funding from the APRO Education Foundation’s Scholarship Fund. She is among a cohort of 47 students given more than $110,000 worth from APRO and state rental dealer associations in Florida, Kansas, Missouri, and Tennessee. The APRO Education Foundation Scholarship Fund’s mission of helping future leaders take ownership of their dreams is only possible thanks to the generosity of our donors. Thank you for your continued support, and we hope you will take a moment to support the next group of emerging leaders from our RTO-family by donating today.

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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.