Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

RTO Owner Recognized for Philanthropy

Misti Brunelle (second from left) with fellow Reach Out Today volunteers.

The spirit of the holiday season is all about giving, and APRO members are constantly giving back to the community. In fact, one of our members was recently recognized for her charity work: On November 15, Misti Brunelle, Owner of Action Rent-To-Own in West Valley City, Utah, was a recipient of the Heart & Hands Award from Utah Philanthropy Day.

Misti volunteers for Reach Out Today. Based in Sandy, Utah, the organization is “dedicated to alleviating gaps within our communities surrounding vulnerable children and youth and then taking action.”

Misti elaborates, “Most charities pick one thing to focus on and that is what they do, which is amazing, but this group looks for anything that those charities are missing.”

The four gaps on which Reach Out Today focuses are:

  • Food – delivering pantry packs and covering the costs of school lunches for children who need them
  • Clothing – providing clothing to children in need as well as laundry detergent and laundromat tokens to their families
  • Hygiene – building confidence in children and youth through pop-up salons and packs needed for proper hygiene
  • Transition – making traumatic changes in life easier for children and youth facing transition

“We do a lot with helping both parents and children transitioning in and out of foster care, providing hygiene kits to people experiencing homelessness, getting furniture and household needs for people transitioning from homelessness, helping set families up with heat and electricity, rent assistance, etcetera,” Misti says. “We also just got a grant to build our own shelter, which just blows my mind to imagine. The list goes on forever, and that is why I love this group so much!

“I will never forget the nights that I slept on the side of the road wondering what tomorrow would bring, so to be able to help people not have to worry about tomorrow is truly a blessing to me! Sometimes it makes me feel selfish because it fills my heart so much, but I keep doing what I can because there are so many people truly in need.

“To be a part of this group has been the most rewarding thing ever to happen to me!”

To learn more about and support Reach Out Today, visit www.reachouttoday.org. To learn more about Utah Philanthropy Day, visit www.utahphilanthropyday.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.