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PrimeTime Highlights Successful Start to 2022

The buying show buzzed with savings, connections, and support at PrimeTime in Pheonix, Arizona.
President Tom Hickman hits record on his waterproof phone seconds before he was dunked in water to support the Give Back Program.

Nationwide Marketing Group and Nationwide RentDirect held the latest PrimeTime in Phoenix, Arizona, February 5-8. The semi-annual event featured a motivational member meeting, extensive education sessions, and a bustling buying show. PrimeTime also raised donations for its Give Back Program, which contributes to the nonprofit No Child Hungry, which works to eliminate child hunger nationwide.

“We’re so thankful for retailers coming to PrimeTime during the pandemic,” said Tom Hickman, President of Nationwide Marketing Group. “All the obstacles we’re facing will pass. This is just part of the journey for retail, and I appreciate where we are.”

General Session keynote speaker Eric Weihenmayer – the first blind person to ever summit Mount Everest – spoke not of his ultimate achievements, but of the obstacles he overcame along the way. Weihenmayer connected with attendees over the rough reality of retailing through a pandemic, recommended people focus on the opportunity this situation might offer, and drove home the theme of this PrimeTime, “Experience the Journey.”

Nationwide RentDirect director Keven Dalke opens the floor in the membership meeting to discuss potential solutions to the top issues that dealers are facing.

Participants at this PrimeTime had plentiful education sessions to select from over the four-day agenda. Rental dealers benefited from sessions such as:

  • Debunking Digital Marketing Misconceptions – Common myths and real facts around digital marketing, and how to capitalize on them (Tristian Bailey with Site on Time).
  • Chatting our Way to Increased Sales and Profits – Best practices in chat-website integrations, new text-to-pay methods, and online-to-in-store conversion strategies (Jennifer Danko with Nationwide Marketing Group)
  • Human Resources Roundtable – Tackling today’s most common HR topics (Kelly Kenner-Patridge with Nationwide Marketing Group)
  • Website Management Roundtable – Talking about digital issues challenging retailers today (Jennifer Danko with Nationwide Marketing Group, Jodie Pierce with Retail Web Services)
  • The Value of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – Defining SEO, its value, and tips to leverage it immediately (Cyrille Aragon with Site on Time)
APRO Chief Executive Officer Jill McClure showcases all of the benefits members are receiving, including the recent 2021 Industry Health Survey.
From left: McClure and Dalke welcome members to stop by the RentDirect booth at the buying show.

Dalke led the RentDirect membership meeting, where he discussed HR best practices, websites and digital interactions, SMS with customers, and the state of the RTO industry. APRO Chief Executive Officer Jill McClure followed him, addressing recent legislative efforts to represent and protect rent-to-own. McClure stressed the importance of participation in RTO’s state associations and working together to showcase what rent-to-own businesses really do: We help people. McClure also reminded current APRO members of their access to the 2021 Industry Health Report and how rental dealers can use its data to benchmark their company’s success.

“At PrimeTime, we aren’t focused on only rent-to-own,” said Keven Dalke, Director of Nationwide RentDirect. “We’re also focused on your inventory, website, social media, and everything else to help a dealer thrive today. Our education sessions are valuable for any attendee.”

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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.