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Ball Named to Furniture Today’s 40 Under 40

Adam received his award at the recent Trailblazers and Titans event.

Adam Ball, Director of National Sales for APRO associate member Esquire Advertising, was recently named to Furniture Today’s fourth annual 40 Under 40 list. The 2025 40 Under 40 class was honored at the publication’s Trailblazers and Titans celebration during July’s Las Vegas Market.

The awards – chosen by Furniture Today’s editorial team and presented by the publication’s parent company BridgeTower Media – are given to 40 up-and-coming furniture industry leaders under the age of 40, recognizing the next generation of innovators with outstanding career achievements and industry involvement.

Ball’s inclusion on the 2025 list is especially remarkable because he has been in the furniture industry for only three years and was nominated by multiple people for the honor.

Ball was an All-American golfer at Virginia Commonwealth University and intended to golf as a career. He spent six years post-graduation as a professional golfer, including two seasons on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica. But the pandemic led him to accepting a sales job at a Florida home-improvement store.

Ball has parlayed his success on the golf course into a successful sales career.

Luckily, this experience helped Ball discover his talent for building relationships and closing sales; within seven months, he was the company’s leading sales representative.

“I miss the competitive spirit of pro golf,” Ball says. “But sales gives me the same feeling I used to get when I was coming down the stretch with the lead.”

A few years ago, Ball met a man while on vacation in Jamaica who turned out to be the CEO of Esquire Advertising, Eric Grindley. The two connected, and Grindley offered Ball a position on the spot – a move he’s surely proud of now.

“I’ve enjoyed learning about home furnishings in general and rent-to-own specifically,” says Ball. “Unlike regular retail, I’m able to build long-term relationships, and I’m lucky to have Esquire’s technology to help grow businesses. I was surprised and humbled to receive the 40 Under 40 award, but it’s incredibly validating to get this sort of validation for having made an impact within such a short time.”

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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.