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Arkansas Rental Dealers Reignite in Little Rock

Arkansas Rental Dealers Association 2019 annual meeting attendees

The Arkansas Rental Dealers Association [ARDA] held its annual meeting on May 15 at the Embassy Suites in Little Rock. Highlights included updates on projects, a legislative update, board member elections, and planning the 2019-2020 year.

ARDA President Terah Vail notes that a highlight was being able to update members about the projects ARDA has been working on in the last year. “We were able to complete a number of key projects in 2018-2019 that have prepared us to better serve our members in the coming years,” says Vail.

Many members were excited to receive a legislative update from APRO General Counsel Ed Winn III. Winn gave a wonderful overview of the legislative history of the rent-to-own industry in Arkansas, sharing his expertise while discussing the history and state statutes that make Arkansas unique. He also gave a great overview of issues around the country that could affect the rent-to-own industry in a number of areas, including human resources, payroll, consumer credit, tax liability, marketing, safety compliance, and more. All dealers in attendance were attentive and happy to learn and ask questions.

APRO General Counsel Ed Winn III presented a legislative update overview

ARDA added three new vendors this year: Al Benson with Central File, John Blair with PTS Financial Services, and Ovi Cohen with Technical Pro. PTS Financial Services generously sponsored lunch, and Technical Pro brought merchandise to show.

ARDA members voted to keep the board of directors unchanged this year except for one position: Scott Houchin with Rent One replaced Rachel Pearson with Pay-Less Rentals as Treasurer. The 2019-2020 ARDA board of directors are Terah Vail, president; Candice Hill, vice president; Kayla Milner, secretary; Scott Houchin, Treasurer; Wally Moon, vendor representative; and board members Jose Palacios and Brandon Cummings.

“We are excited about the 2019-2020 year for ARDA,” says Vail. “Our focus next year is building membership in the state, and working to offer better educational and networking opportunities for members and dealers. The rent-to-own industry is strong in the state of Arkansas, and we will work to make sure it stays that way!”

ARDA has tentatively set the 2020 meeting dates for May 13-14 in Little Rock. Mark your calendars now and plan to attend!

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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.