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.
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!
- 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.”
