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Susan Matthews Leaves Legacy of Leadership

Susan Matthews, President of APRO member Benefit Marketing Solutions (BMS), recently announced her retirement for this August, following 36 years of rent-to-own success.

Matthews began her career in 1987, marketing the first club program for the RTO industry at Foresight. Partnering with others to form BMS, Matthews continued her leadership to extend BMS’ reach; the company now works with more than 90% of rental companies offering benefits.

“Susan loves this industry and has dedicated her career to helping RTO owners grow their businesses,” said BMS CEO Brad Denison. “She’s been an incredible leader at BMS from the very beginning – guiding our expansion, evolution and talent development. The team she has built represents the best in the industry. We thank Susan for this strong legacy and wish her all the best in her well-deserved retirement.”

Matthews received many honors throughout her rent-to-own career, most notably the 2008 APRO Vendor of the Year award, the 2014 TRIB Vendor Hall of Honor, 2014 Showplace Vendor of the Year award, and the 2015 Exceptional Industry Stewardship award from BMS’s parent company, Aon.

“I’m most proud of the 2014 APRO Heritage Award because I believe I’m the only vendor to receive this recognition,” Matthews said.

“Susan’s impact on the RTO industry is immeasurable. Her legacy of work in developing the club program and the valuable benefits BMS offers provides considerable value for our industry’s member dealers and customers, and serves as a pillar for compliance orientation, said Charles Smitherman, Executive Director of APRO. “Her consistent presence and support of RTO and APRO will be missed and we wish her the best in her retirement.”

“It has been so rewarding to work in the rental industry,” Matthews said. “I consider many of my clients to be like family and know that our relationship will continue long after I retire.”

The rent-to-own industry is also how Matthews met her husband, Dan, who also had a career in RTO prior to selling his stores in 2013. In addition to spending more time with Dan, her retirement plans include enjoying time with grandchildren, playing golf, and traveling, including a bucket-list trip to Australia.

Thank you, Susan, for all you’ve done for rent-to-own – enjoy your well-earned golden years!

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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.