Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

Snap Team Feeds Ronald McDonald House Families

(L to R) Snap team members Scott Stohlton, Brandon Turville, Stephanie Lawler, and Julie Tavernier gear up to serve dinner at the Ronald McDonald House in Denver, Colorado.

APRO member Snap Finance, through its Snap Cares social-responsibility program, recently hosted a dinner for the families staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Denver, Colorado.

Snap Finance launched Snap Cares in 2021 to empower people and communities to thrive by giving back; the company organizes volunteer events, offers employees paid volunteer time, and matches employee donations. Over the past four years, Snap Cares has contributed more than $7 million in in-kind and monetary donations, with employees volunteering more than 6,000 hours for nonprofit organizations in the communities where they work and live.

Snap’s four Denver-area team members prepared a full dinner for families at the Ronald McDonald House, which provides comfort, resources, and support to families who travel far from home for their children’s medical care. The Snap team made chicken Alfredo, salad, and bread, then took time to get to know the families over dinner.

“This charity is close to my heart,” noted Snap team member Stephanie Lawler. “My parents stayed at the Ronald McDonald House when I was little and in the hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. It was an honor to be able to give back to a cause that’s so important to my family.”

Snap team members prepare a hearty homemade meal for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House.

Snap Finance’s community engagement efforts focus on critical community needs such as food security, financial access, education and job training, and overall community development. Since 2023, Snap Cares has hosted more than 100 volunteer events, awarded 33 community impact grants, and had over 70% of Snap team members volunteer their time to meaningful causes.

“Snap Cares has transformed Snap Finance’s commitment to corporate social responsibility into a powerful force for positive change,” said Snap Chief Executive Officer Ted Saunders. “Our hands-on approach prioritizes direct community involvement over traditional passive giving, and not only do we believe it enhances lives, but we also hope it helps inspire broader change across our industry.”

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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.