An email was sent to your primary contact associated with your membership with access to an online ballot for the 2024-2026 APRO Vendor Advisory Committee from info@rtohq.org.
Please note that APRO has 6 vacancies to fill on the VAC this year.
If you have not received the email, be sure to check your junk mail. Ballots may be submitted through this link no later than Tuesday, July 30.
Monica Bean
Account Executive
Captive Management Services
Bio: I have the pleasure of working as an Account Executive for Captive Management Services where I establish relationships with prospective clients, provide exceptional service through the creation and maintenance of clients' Privately Owned Reinsurance Company, and design marketing campaigns. Building real and lasting relationships with our clients is my favorite aspect of this position. I have enjoyed learning from other industry leaders while serving on the VAC and hope to continue to do so. Inside and outside of the professional setting, my skills include event planning, public speaking, writing, marketing, and interpersonal communication. I believe that I am a hardworking and authentic addition to the APRO Vendor Advisory Committee.
Bill French
Vice President
O’Rourke Sales Company
Bio: Bill French has shown great leadership of the RTO division of O’Rourke Sales Company for over 23 years as VP of sales for the Rent to Own channel. Bill is also the Vice Chair of the APRO board of directors and head of the vendor advisory committee for many years. Bill is a strong supporter of APRO with his participation in state associations and the annual legislative conference in Washington DC. His dedication to the rental industry has earned him recognition as the TRIB and APRO vendor of the year. Prior to joining O’Rourke Sales Company Bill was a regional Vice President of LG Electronics/Zenith. Bill began his career selling Whirlpool appliances and RCA TV’s with the Frank Lyon Company in 1971.
Michael Helton
Tax Shareholder
Rivero, Gordimer & Company, P.A.
Bio: Michael Helton has been with Rivero, Gordimer & Company, P.A. since 1999. Helton’s areas of concentration include tax preparation, planning and consultation for individuals and businesses, estates and trusts, succession planning, and other topics. He has over 17 years of experience with clients in the RTO business and currently serves on the APRO vendor advisory board. Helton is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and serves on several non-profit boards. Mike graduated from Shawnee State University where he played on the basketball team and earned his degree in Business Administration. Mike currently resides in Tampa, Florida with his wife and four kids.
James MacAlpine
Senior Vice President
Benefit Marketing Solutions
Bio: James MacAlpine began his career in RTO in 1985 with Rent-A-Center where he managed stores and markets in Texas, Louisiana, and New York. He started a new RTO industry buying group by Nationwide Marketing Group, an opportunity that led him to oversee the organization's RTO and retail membership. In 2018, MacAlpine joined Aon Benefit Marketing Solutions as Senior Vice President of Business Development. James has held Board positions with multiple RTO state rental dealer associations and has been an APRO member for over 20 years. In 2012, he was honored as APRO's Vendor of the Year. James lives in Dallas, Texas with his wife of 36 years.
Marty Smith
Vice President of Sales
Sleep Partners LLC
Bio: For over 30 years, Marty has served the RTO industry giving him insight on what drives the industry. Marty has served on the TRIB vendor relations board and currently serves on the APRO VAC. He started as a sales rep for Pioneer Electronics, then held the position of V.P. of Sales and Marketing for Rent One, and later became a managing partner at Imagery Marketing Group before becoming the V.P. of Sales at Noctova Sleep. In 2013, he was inducted to the TRIB Vendor Hall of Fame and honored with the APRO Vendor of the Year Award in 2017.
Howard Topping
Managing Director
Slumba Mattress
Bio: As a serial entrepreneur, my career experience has been focused on In-Store fixture design and manufacturing. I employ ethnographic, user-based shopper insights to inform the designs and evaluate their success. Along with my son Cody, we founded Deep Blue Industries dba Slumba Mattress in 2018. Our thesis for the business was to create bedding that would be easy for the shopper to understand, high quality, affordable and supported with extraordinary service. We are exclusively focused on the Rent-to-Own industry. I have come to appreciate how the industry and its members support their customers, and I am very interested in growing my participation.
