Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

2024 Legislative Conference: Highlights from Capitol Hill

Since its inception in 1994, APRO’s Legislative Conference has been a cornerstone event for rent-to-own professionals nationwide. This year’s conference, held in late April in Washington DC, marked another milestone in advocating for the RTO industry.

The conference commenced with a warm welcome at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, where 77 attendees gathered for registration and a Welcome Reception, sponsored by Benefit Marketing Solutions. Attendees collected their conference materials, enjoying cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while they mingled and met with their teams to plan for their day on the hill.

APRO’s inaugural class of legislative fellows.

A new addition to the conference was the Legislative Fellowship Program, which mentored eleven legislative fellows sponsored by State Rental Dealer Associations and Ashley Furniture Industries to be champions and advocates for the industry.

Day two started with a hearty breakfast sponsored by TRIB Group and a keynote address. Charlie Keller, Chief of Staff for Ann Wagner from Missouri’s second district, emphasized the importance of building relationships with legislative staff. Fifteen teams representing 25 states, guided by experienced conference veterans, held 120 scheduled appointments, engaging with staffers across various roles. The day culminated in a group photo at the Capitol Building sponsored by Hudson Cook, followed by a Debrief Dinner.

Charles Smitherman presents custom lapel pins to veteran Legislative Conference attendees.

During the Debrief Dinner at the historic Daughters of the American Revolution headquarters, sponsored by Ashley Furniture Industries, APRO CEO Charles W. Smitherman, JD, PhD recognized the Board of Directors as the heart and the leadership of the organization. He then offered recognition of 21 attendees for their long-time attendance at the Legislative Conference, including five who have attended twenty or more years.

Attendees shared their experiences, setting the stage for reflections from both long-time participants and new fellows.

“Having a chance to walk those halls really was a dream come true,” said Legislative Fellow Phil Hamer, Director of Operations for Buddy’s Home Furnishings. “We were able to make an impact on a national level and be a part of possible change.”

Shannon Strunk shares his reflections from his day on the hill.

Baber Strunk Enterprises owners Shannon Strunk and Cynthia Baber-Strunk are both long-time conference veterans. Strunk was amazed that with their sixteen meetings, they didn’t meet one single person that was here during their last visit five years ago. He noted, “The need to come here every year and develop these relationships is so important. Consistency does matter.”

“Going into today I was incredibly nervous – and I had nothing to be nervous about,” said Legislative Fellow Alexandria Feuhrer, Assistant Manager for SKC Enterprises Inc. dba Rent One. “All of the talks we had were wonderful. One of my favorite parts was getting to meet people that were from my district. It was an amazing opportunity to be here as a Legislative Fellow.”

APRO Board VAC Liaison Mike Helton of Rivero, Gordimer & Company P.A., recounted his last meeting of the day, where the legislative aide already understood the business and knew exactly what purpose we serve. She said, “You don’t need to tell me anymore. When I was 10 years old, my family needed your transaction, and I remember walking in and picking out my first bedroom set, and it’s still in my family today, 15 years later.”

Smitherman concluded the evening with gratitude, saying, “Thank you all for being here. This was really awesome to see this group that cares this much to take the time to come and do this. We look forward to doing this again next year.”

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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.