Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

APRO Members Help Colleagues with Hurricane Recovery

When Hurricanes Helene and Milton hit the southeastern United States with a one-two punch this past fall, many rent-to-own locations and employees were damaged or devastated by the storms.

This year alone, the APRO Charitable Foundation distributed an unprecedented $196,500 – the highest annual amount since the fund’s creation in 2005 – directly aiding rent-to-own employees recovering from natural disasters. This critical support was made possible by the generosity of APRO members, who donated $103,691 to the RTO Employees Disaster Relief Fund this year.

In western North Carolina, where Helene caused catastrophic rainfall-triggered flooding and tornadoes, the employees at Full-O-Pep Appliances Inc. dba American Rental in Waynesville are especially grateful for the help they received via the Disaster Relief Fund.

“It doesn’t take much to look around and feel alone, hopeless, and scared,” said Store Manager Elizabeth Trull. “But because of organizations like APRO, American Rental, and Benefit Marketing Services, I was blessed to make it through with my life and my family. I’m proud to be part of such an amazing group of people!”

“I lost almost everything in my home and felt defeated,” noted fellow Waynesville employee Daniel Bradley. “But I was impressed with how APRO responded so quickly; within just a few days, I was able to buy food, fuel, and materials to repair my home.”

Likewise, American Rental colleague Ethan Burnette was able to repair his roof and purchase food and supplies for his family, thanks to the APRO Disaster Relief Fund.

“When I got the knock at my door to evacuate, I was devastated,” team member Josh Shields echoed. “I lost everything, but with assistance, was able to find a new home, clothing, and food for me and my dog, Dixie. I thought I couldn’t come back from this, but the disaster-relief funds I received through APRO made it possible to rebuild.”

Make Your Tax-Deductible Donation Today

If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation and help ensure we’re ready to support colleagues facing future disasters, please click here to visit the RTO Disaster Relief Fund donation page. By contributing today, you can ensure APRO is ready to help colleagues weather any storms ahead.

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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.