Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

Nationwide’s PrimeTime Prepares Dealers for Q4

Nationwide Marketing Group welcomed more than 3,500 attendees from about 900 member companies and 175 vendor partners to Nashville, Tennessee, in mid-August for its 57th in-person PrimeTime event.

President and Chief Member Advocate of Nationwide Marketing Group Tom Hickman kicks off the opening keynote at PrimeTime.

During the three-day business and education conference, Nationwide dealer members got informed on the ever-evolving retail landscape, capitalized on the 2,100+ show specials and Cash Back giveaways, and gobbled up the inventory Nationwide’s vendor partners brought to Music City, ensuring they can meet their customers’ needs during the final few months of the year.

“We tip our hats to our vendor partners who helped make this an important opportunity for our members,” said Patrick Maloney, Nationwide’s Executive Vice President of Membership. “Vendors across all categories stepped up to the plate with some exceptional offers for our members. But, more importantly, they secured plenty of available inventory for our channel at a time when supply chains continue to feel the squeeze.”

“The combination of returning to an in-person event and celebrating Nationwide’s 50th anniversary made this moment with our Nationwide RentDirect members special,” said Keven Dalke, Director of Nationwide RentDirect. “I’m glad we were able to connect once again, offer more education and services, and let the buying happen!”

During this PrimeTime, Nationwide dealers received over $3.2 million in Cash Back and over $200,000 in giveaways, participated in a Palooza featuring more than 7,500 orders within 90 minutes, and bought $35+million in furniture and bedding in 17 hours, as well as one TV for every second the show floor was open.

In terms of education, PrimeTime in Nashville offered more than 100 free Nationwide Learning Academy (NLA) classes offered at the show. On the networking side, hundreds of member and vendor companies participated in various events, including two WIN: Women in Nationwide engagements, meal-packing to support No Child Hungry, and other specialty-group get-togethers. Nationwide also celebrated its 50th anniversary with a decades party and an evening at the Grand Ole Opry, highlighted by performances from GRAMMY Award-winning group Little Big Town and the Grant Webb Band.

“After more than 18 months apart, we expected an excited crowd,” said Nationwide President and Chief Member Advocate Tom Hickman. “But our members and partners simply blew the roof off the Gaylord Opryland Resort. Educational sessions were engaging, member meetings were lively, and the show floor was absolutely buzzing with activity for two full days.”

Nationwide’s 58th PrimeTime is scheduled for February 5-8, 2022, in Phoenix, Arizona.

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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.