Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

RNR Tire Express Honors Breast Cancer Survivors in Annual Campaign

Last month, APRO member RNR Tire Express (RNR) continued its tradition of celebrating strong and inspiring cancer fighters and survivors. As part of its annual breast cancer awareness initiative, RNR encouraged customers and members of the community to nominate breast cancer fighters for their fearlessness and help honor their unmatched feats of strength. Selected from thousands of entries, RNR Tire Express chose to honor deserving women across the country for their incredible courage and determination to never give up.

RNR Corporate recognized one local Tampa resident and breast cancer fighter, Trisha at a surprise reveal event with her family and friends at her local store on Tuesday, November 19. RNR  presented her with the ultimate gifts – $1,000 in cash, a complete set of new tires and a full spa day VIP package for both her and her friend who nominated her.

“I remember when the doctor called me to tell me it was cancer, I knew from that moment on my life would never be the same,” Trisha said. “What I couldn’t have ever imagined was the support, love and care that I would receive along the way from family, friends, my community and now RNR Tire Express.”

RNR Tire locations from across the country teamed up to honor breast cancer survivors for the second year in a row. This year’s initiative kicked off in October, asking for participants to share the inspiring survivor stories of their loved ones for a chance to honor one courageous survivor with the surprise of honoring their brave fight against cancer. In addition to the giveaway, RNR donated $5,000 to local cancer treatment facilities and encouraged communities across the nation to support the cause with pink tire displays, uniform, and décor at participating locations.

“Cancer knows no age, no race, no religion, no gender, no economic status. This year alone, more than 260,000 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer,” said Larry Sutton, past APRO board member, and president and founder of RNR. “This is a global problem that deserves a global solution. At RNR, we have the opportunity to make an impact in the fight, and give back to those who have already given up so much, and we are honored to play a small role in helping fight for a cure.”

Founded in 2000 by rent-to-own industry veteran, Larry Sutton, RNR has grown to 126 locations in 24 states. For more information regarding the RNR breast cancer awareness initiative, please visit RNRTires.com.

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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.