Association of Progressive Rental Organizations
JOIN APRO
JOIN APRO

RNR Celebrates 25 Value-Driven Years

RNR Founder and Chair Larry Sutton (L) embraces the company’s longtime Vice President of Franchising, Vince Ficarrotta (R).

APRO member RNR Tire Express recently held its annual Franchise Conference, with more than 400 franchisees, corporate team members, vendors, managers, and guests celebrating the company’s 25th anniversary at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Florida.

The event included general sessions, panel discussions, breakout sessions, a vendor expo, and an awards dinner. A welcome reception in the Casitas Courtyard warmed everyone up for a full day of activity, with Mickey and Minnie Mouse visiting for photo ops.

Keynote speaker Chip Madera blended motivational content, practical strategies, and plenty of humor to help attendees accelerate a culture of excellence. Special guest APRO CEO Charles Smitherman provided an industry advocacy update, outlining policy issues the association is monitoring at the state and federal levels, and detailed new strategic initiatives and upcoming events being offered by the organization.

“Congratulations to RNR on 25 incredible years,” Smitherman said. “It’s inspiring to witness the energy at this annual conference, as well as the company’s unwavering commitment to their mission: becoming the Best Tire and Wheel Concept in America.”

Among the event’s award winners were:

  • Lifetime Achievement Award – David Belt, Owner of RNR Tire Express of Texas LLC
  • Franchise of the Year – Gulf Coast L&P Inc., Owners Shannon Strunk, Cynthia Baber-Strunk, and Shane Baber
  • Faye Sutton Woman of the Year – Shawnya Kelley, Director of Marketing at Rental Concepts LLC
  • Rookie of the Year – Lily Justice, General Manager at Rental Concepts LLC

Additionally, as a special treat for RNR’s silver anniversary, Founder and Chair Larry Sutton and Team Development Director Will Jackson performed as a musical duo, the Fluff Brothers, in homage to the legendary Blues Brothers.

RNR keynote speaker Chip Madera made Franchise Conference participants both laugh and think.
David Harrison (L), President of Rental Concepts LLC, and Shane Baber (R), Owner of Gulf Coast L&P Inc., share information during a panel discussion.
RNR Team Development Director Will Jackson (L) leaves it all on the stage alongside Larry Sutton (R) as the storied Fluff Brothers perform for an appreciative crowd.

“We are beyond proud of our incredible franchise support team for their dedication and hard work, on once again elevating our annual national RNR Franchise Conference,” said RNR CEO Adam Sutton. “It’s truly one of our favorite times of the year when we all come together to learn, share, and celebrate our people and our company’s success. We’re honored to serve our franchisees as we strive to build a value-DRiVEN Culture and Customer Experience, as well as impact our communities for the better.”

Upcoming Events

View Calendar



Popular Resources

Sign up for APRO Today

Copyright © · All Rights Reserved · APRO Privacy Policy · APRO Antitrust Policy

Facebook Linkedin Twitter Youtube
Copyright © · All Rights Reserved · APRO Privacy Policy
Facebook Twitter Youtube Flickr

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.