Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

MRDA Makes Special Announcement at Annual Meeting

MRDA President Scott Mitchell and MRDA Past President John Cleek, Jr.

The Missouri Rental Dealers Association [MRDA] met this week for its 15th Annual Heartland of America Regional Trade Show and Seminar in Lake Ozark, Missouri. The event’s highly anticipated 4-Man Golf Scramble and Bass Fishing Tournament went, on rain or shine, with record-breaking bass caught. The awards dinner was short and sweet as it coincided with this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs (Go Blues!) but closed with the announcement of new MRDA president Scott Mitchell of All American Rental. After 10 years, the torch was passed from former MRDA president John Cleek, Jr. of Cleek’s Home Furnishings to Mitchell.

“I am extremely proud of the accomplishments that this association has made. During the time that I have served, we have won four APRO State Association of the Year awards, and seven overall since the award was originated in 1991,” shares Cleek. “I very much appreciate all of the board members and vendors and think it’s time for a change. Scott is a great person who runs an outstanding family business. He is a man of high integrity and morals and will do an excellent job in taking this association forward.” Cleek will remain on the MRDA board of directors and serve as immediate past president.

MRDA 2019 attendees kicked off the regional trade show with a President’s Party hosted by outgoing president John Cleek, Jr.

Special guests Gary Romine, Owner of Show Me RTO and Past Missouri State Senator (District 3), and Moriah Eberhart, APRO Member Engagement and Business Development Manager, spoke at the MRDA Dinner. Romine, who has also served as MRDA and APRO president, provided a Missouri state of the industry update and discussed the importance of government relations on a local level. Eberhart introduced herself and thanked the association for the warm welcome. She also shared details about the upcoming RTO World 2019 scheduled for August 6-8 in Louisville along with debuting the APRO Legislative Conference video that included highlights from this year’s conference and the importance of why we go to our nation’s capital year after year.

This year’s event also included product trainings presented by Bill French and Martin “Elvis” Valdez of O’Rourke Sales Company and Dan Anderson, Mike Kays, Gary Jones, Michael Philips, Ron Reyering, Wes Slay and Jamee Thompson of Ashley Furniture. A PAC raffle drawing was held during the three days that gave away thousands of dollars in prizes and gift cards.

Bass Fishing Tournament first place winners Dan Cole and Steve Braning of National RTO.

MRDA’s newly elected and re-elected directors are Scott Micthell, president; Aaron Windsor, vice president; John Cleek, Jr., immediate past president; and board members Michael Bowman, Cindy Boyers, Steve Braning, John “Tiger” Cleek, Sr., Dan Cole, Greg Humphrey, Mary Humphrey, Kevin Hollaway, Macy Mitchell, Curtis Moke, Jerry Pinkley, Rick Rineberg, Gary Romine, Kevin Welker and Mark Windsor.

Click here to see more photos of the 2019 MRDA Heartland of America Regional Trade Show and Seminar.

Golf Tournament Winners

1st Place: Paul Gibbons, Steve Gibbons, Rick Rineberg and Langley Johnson
Closest to Pin: James MacAlpine
Women’s Longest Drive: Ann Cleek
Men’s Longest Drive: Wade Burton
Longest Putt: Daryl Rodeman
Closest to Pin: Wade Burton

Bass Fishing Tournament Winners

1st Place: Dan Cole and Steve Braning
6
keepers; 17.28 lb total weight

2nd Place: Ron Reyering and Vic Lombardo
6 keepers; 17.27 lb total weight

3rd Place: Michael Key and Michael Phillips
6 keepers; 15.06 lb total weight

4th Place: Aaron Windsor and Brian Beauchamp
6 keepers; 12.83 lb total weight

Biggest Bass: Vic Lombardo
4.13 lbs

Upcoming Events




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.