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Rent-2-Own Honors its Best with Annual Awards

R2O Owner & President Mike Tissot illustrates the company’s new 2024 theme: Care to Be Uncommon.
R2O Owner & President Mike Tissot illustrates the company’s new 2024 theme: Care to Be Uncommon.

APRO member Countryside Rentals Inc. dba Rent-2-Own (R2O) held its annual meeting last month at the Roberts Conference Centre in Wilmington, Ohio. Led by R2O Owner and President Mike Tissot, the event celebrated the company’s success over the past year, honored its top employees with an awards presentation, and set the stage for an uncommon 2024.

Tissot launched the meeting by applauding the prior year’s work by all R2O team members. Operating under a theme of “All In,” R2O streamlined its processes, increased its focus on the products customers want most, helped employees grow and get promoted within the company, and opened up its 41st store.

R2O Owner & President Mike Tissot (L) presents keys to a new car to a overwhelmed and overjoyed employee Kristina Bailey (R).
Mike Tissot (L) presents keys to a new car to overwhelmed and overjoyed employee Kristina Bailey (R).

Tissot then introduced and offered insight on R2O’s companywide theme for this year: Care to Be Uncommon.

“What does it mean to be uncommon?” queried Tissot. “It means when uncommonly good things become common, everything gets better. So keep doting on your customers, make your store a pleasant place for folks to shop, create a great experience for them – and do it all to an uncommon level. Be remarkable – and maybe they might tell a few friends about us.”

All 41 R2O stores throughout Ohio and Kentucky were closed for the day, so that all company employees could celebrate together with food, games, prizes, laughter, and awards. Prizes were given throughout the day via random name draws; two lucky employees each won a car!

R2O vendors were appreciated with plaque presentations early on in the day; later, the company’s annual award winners were honored. Congratulations to all!

R2O Store of the Year – Heath, Ohio – Sales Manager Sara Mercer (L) and Store Manager Derek Schild celebrate their win.
R2O Store of the Year – Heath, Ohio – Sales Manager Sara Mercer (L) and Store Manager Derek Schild celebrate their win.
  • Employee of the Year: Jason Salyers, Service Department Assistant Manager
  • Home Office Employee of the Year: Ryan Scott, Service Department Manager
  • Lifetime Achievement Award: Lisa Gilbert, Service Department Parts Coordinator (24 years with R2O)
  • Regional Manager of the Year: Jeff Borders
  • Manager of the Year: Bonnie Sargent, Portsmouth, Ohio
  • Assistant, Sales, or Collections Manager of the Year: Clint Turner, Assistant Manager, Waverly, Ohio
  • Account Manager of the Year: Geoff Bumbaugh, Waverly, Ohio
  • Customer Sales Representative of the Year: Tylar Smith, Ironton, Ohio
  • Delivery Specialists of the Year: Cameron Kerr and Jerrit Noggler, Troy, Ohio
  • Rookie of the Year: Tanner Easter, Account Manager, Chillicothe, Ohio
  • Slash: Natasha Cantrell, Sales Manager, Athens, Ohio
  • Store of the Year: Heath, Ohio

“We’re ready for another successful year,” Tissot concluded. “We’re going to keep on breaking our own records by making uncommonly great things common.”

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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.