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2025 Steve Kruse Award of Honor: Ernie Lewallen

2025 Steve Kruse Award of Honor recipient Ernie Lewallen.

APRO’s Steve Kruse Award of Honor recognizes individuals for their extraordinary lifelong service and unwavering commitment to the rent-to-own industry. Named for Steve Kruse, a well-known advocate of RTO and longtime IT Director and Operations Analyst for Bestway Rent-to-Own, this award celebrates those whose dedication has left a lasting impact on the industry and its community.

The 2025 Steve Kruse Award of Honor recipient is Ernie Lewallen, President of UHR Rents and United Household Rentals dba RNR Tire Express.

Lewallen is a legend in the rent-to-own industry, with more than 43 years of service. He has served as an APRO Board Member for 20 years, including a term as APRO President from 1998-99, and his leadership has extended through a decade of involvement with TRIB Group and the Ohio Rental Dealers Association (ORDA). In 2013, he was honored with APRO’s Lifetime Achievement Award – a professional milestone he has called one of his proudest moments.

Ernie Lewallen accepts APRO’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013, a recognition he still calls one of his greatest professional honors.

Although he could not attend RTO World 2025 in person, Lewallen shared heartfelt remarks in an acceptance speech read by APRO President Michael Bennett.

“I have always been happy to contribute to APRO on any level,” he reflected. “If today’s leaders believe I have been helpful behind the scenes, then I will truly cherish this honor.”

Over the decades of his career, Lewallen has been known for his leadership and advocacy, his active presence at APRO events, and his personal love of photography.

APRO proudly recognizes Ernie Lewallen as the 2025 recipient of the Steve Kruse Award of Honor, celebrating his lifelong dedication, leadership, and extraordinary service to the rent-to-own community.

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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.