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Showplace Celebrates Employee Wins

Home Office Purchasing Manager Troy Ruehrmund (C) is presented the Showplace Spirit Award from company President Keith Ferriman (L) and Operations Manager Mike Benbrahim (R).

APRO member Showplace Inc. and Buckeye Wheel & Tire, LLC dba RNR Tire Express recently held its annual Showplace Family Employee Appreciation Day at Dave & Buster’s in Hilliard, Ohio. Almost 140 employees and 20 vendors gathered to have fun, play games, and honor team excellence.

“This year’s event was Kentucky Derby-themed,” said company H.R. Manager Amanda Frazier. “And every store also has its own team theme; this year, we saw everything from Disco to the Wizard of Oz. Our winner for best theme was the Mount Gilead, Ohio, store staff, who came as the Average Joe’s team from the comedic movie Dodgeball. What spirit!”

The Showplace Appreciation Day was full of prizes and awards for employees, including many rewards generously donated by the company, its vendors, and other businesses. Awards were presented to individuals and stores based upon 2024 accomplishments and successes, as well as years of company service.

“Employees need recognition to thrive in the workplace,” Frazier said. “Our Appreciation Day is about acknowledging all the dedication and hard work our employees put into their jobs and our organization every day.”

Robby Tyson (L) from vendor New Generations Diamond & Jewelry Co. and Showplace past President Gary Ferriman enjoy the Employee Appreciation event.
Keith Ferriman (L) and Mike Benbrahim (R) present Keri Littell (C) with the Showplace Rookie of the Year award.
Rick LeRoy (L) receives the Home Office Employee of the Year award from Mike Benbrahim (C) and Keith Ferriman (R).

Among the event’s award winners were:

  • Showplace Store of the Year – Marion, Ohio
  • Showplace Home Office Employee of the Year – Rick LeRoy, Vice President of Finance & Administration
  • Showplace General Manager of the Year – DeAnna Jones, Marion, Ohio
  • Showplace Rookie of the Year – Keri Littell, Mount Gilead, Ohio
  • Showplace Sales Representative of the Year – Tim Thompson & Stephanie Harper, Marion, Ohio
  • Showplace Account Manager of the Year – James Oehlers & Heather Ayers, Marion, Ohio
  • Showcase Product Care Specialist of the Year – Tyler Clay & Daniel Long, Mount Gilead, Ohio
  • Showcase “Right Hand” Employee of the Year – Jon Howe, Bucyrus, Ohio
  • Showplace Rising Star – Jenn Waddle-Cox, Upper Sandusky, Ohio
  • Showplace Vendor of the Year – Flywheel RTO, Keith Brock
  • Showplace Spirit Award – Troy Ruehrmund, Home Office Purchasing Manager
  • Showplace Top Gun Award – Marion, Ohio team
  • RNR Spirit Award – Chris Anderson, Marion, Ohio

The team from Showplace’s Marion, Ohio, location proudly receive the 2024 Store of the Year award.
Big prize winners at the Showplace Family Employee Appreciation Day – (L to R) Kaleb Andrews, Joe Lambert, Zach Dailey, and Jon Howe – are congratulated by company past President Gary Ferriman and current President Keith Ferriman.

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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.