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Aaron’s Opens Its 200th GenNext Store in Flint, Michigan

The expansion of The Aaron’s Company Inc.’s GenNext initiative continues: On October 19, Aaron’s opened its 200th GenNext store in Flint, Michigan – and celebrated with a give-back to the community via a big donation to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Flint.

GenNext initiative aims to transform in-store customer experience and features the best new designs including larger, brighter, and easier-to-navigate main showrooms. The concept also includes new technology related to decisioning, expanded assortment, and payment systems.

The new store is located at 3549 Miller Road in Flint.

“We’re excited to reach this milestone in our GenNext program, and we’re grateful for the Aaron’s team members and customers that have enabled us to open our 200th store,” said Douglas Lindsay, CEO of The Aaron’s Company. “Our GenNext stores allow us to fundamentally change the customer experience in the rent-to-own category, and we’re excited to bring this level of service to Flint and the surrounding area.”

The opening was paired with a $10,000 donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Flint, yet another example of RTO giving back to the communities it serves and part of Aaron’s broader support of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), The Aaron’s Company’s top charity partner. Since establishing this partnership in 2015, Aaron’s has contributed more than $10 million to the BGCA in support of its clubs and programs.

“It takes the generosity of community partners like Aaron’s to help kids succeed in Flint and Genesee County,” said Tauzzari Robinson, Chief Executive Officer with Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Flint. “We are grateful for this donation. The funds provided by Aaron’s will support after-school programs at the Club, like our mental health and garden programs, that really make a positive impact on the young people in this community.”

The 200 GenNext stores are just a piece of Atlanta-based Aaron’s overall portfolio of its lease-to-own and retail purchase brands featuring appliances, electronics, furniture, and other home goods, including Aaron’s, BrandsMart U.S.A., BrandsMart Leasing, and Woodhaven. Aaron’s offers a direct-to-consumer lease-to-own solution through its approximately 1,300 Company-operated and franchised stores in 47 states and Canada, as well as its e-commerce platform, BrandsMart U.S.A.

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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.