Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

New Resources Available for State Associations

APRO is committed to the sustainability of state associations. Recently, we shared an updated State Association Handbook designed to be an essential go-to resource for state association presidents.

As a guide for successful state organization, including tips and examples for managing an association, the handbook provides:

  • Details on all APRO services for state associations;
  • Important organizational documents to keep and record;
  • A checklist for starting a state association;
  • Leadership positions and recommendations;
  • Meeting types and engagement activities, including sample agendas and checklists;
  • Guidance on hosting guest speakers;
  • Answers to frequently asked legislative questions;
  • An outline of state awards criteria, and more!

Additionally, APRO is offering to keep a digital archive of organizational records for the longevity of state associations. Incoming state presidents look to reference historical records and other individuals often inquire about restarting inactive associations, but sometimes crucial documents have been lost through transitions, including:

  • Bylaws
  • Articles of incorporation
  • W-9
  • EIN
  • Tax records
  • A letter from the Secretary of State
  • Meeting minutes
  • Association logo
From Left: CAL-APRO President Paul Davis, Kentucky Rental Dealers Association President Bill Howard, and Illinois Rental Dealers Association President Kelly Martin

“I’m very excited to see APRO providing this handbook as a key president resource and for the assistance with archiving state documents,” said CAL-APRO President Paul Davis.

“The archive is a smart move and will help us continue to organize for years to come,” said Kentucky Rental Dealers Association Present Bill Howard. “I already gathered and shared my documents with APRO.”

“When I took over my role as president, I wasn’t sure where to find the documents I needed,” said Illinois Rental Dealers Association President Kelly Martin. “I’m pleased to help set up future state leadership for success — sign me up!”

“This is another step in assisting our volunteer-led state associations with sustaining strong business operations,” said APRO Executive Director Jill McClure. “Volunteers are juggling their day jobs with their volunteer work. APRO does what it can to help, so the volunteers can focus their energies on grassroots and outreach. We learned through leadership transitions during the last few years that states often don’t have a neutral repository for their important documents, so APRO will now provide that.”

A survey will be sent to state association presidents April 7, 2021, to gather these records if the organization wants to begin using this service.

State association presidents and past state members, if you have important documents related to your state association – active or not – please contact APRO. And for further questions about these resources or state associations, please email our team at stateservices@rtohq.org.

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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.