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Buddy’s Leadership Meeting Gets Grit-ty

Buddy’s franchisees gathered at the company’s annual Leadership Meeting to celebrate success, share ideas, and shape the future together.

Buddy’s Newco LLC dba Buddy’s Home Furnishings held its Annual Leadership Meeting in late August in Orlando, Florida. The two-day event, held at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort, focused on “GRIT” – passion and perseverance for the company’s mission and goals.

The 2025 Buddy’s Leadership Meeting happened under the banner of this year’s powerful theme: GRIT.

This year’s Leadership Meeting hosted more than 300 attendees and began with a meeting of Buddy’s Franchise Advisory Board. The next morning, CEO Michael Bennett led the General Session, followed by a robust Vendor Show and lively Hot Show featuring 40 exhibitors and interactive games for prizes. A nitty-gritty honky-tonkin’ Country & Western Party capped off the day’s festivities.

Day Two began with Buddy’s Peak Performance Awards Ceremony for top store performers, regional managers, and Store of the Year – which went to Shannon Silvia. Bennett was the surprise recipient of Buddy’s first-ever GRIT Award, celebrating his integrity to lead with purpose and tenacity to show up and deliver excellence every day.

“Michael is a pillar of calm, focus, and unshakable commitment,” said Buddy’s Vice President of Franchise Operations Mike Zagar. “He has not only weathered storms, but also navigated them with his team, leading the company to greater success. Michael’s strength during this time was not loud or performative; it was quiet, consistent, and deeply impactful. That is true grit.”

Buddy’s Franchise Consultant Chaz Wilson also received a debut award, for Brand Ambassador – someone who champions what Buddy’s does and why Buddy’s does it, and turns customers into loyal fans, employees into teammates, and franchises into families.

Wilson opened the first Buddy’s franchise location in 2005, laying the groundwork for an incredible growth story. Over the past two decades, Wilson has shown an impressive commitment to excellence, mentoring team members, serving customers, and representing Buddy’s in the community. Wilson intends to retire at the end of this year.

“They say if you enjoy going to work, you never have a job,” said Wilson during his acceptance speech. “By those standards, I certainly have never had a job.”

CEO Michael Bennett (C) proudly accepted the debut Buddy’s Grit Award, flanked by his wife, Heidi (R), and daughter, Sarah (L).
Buddy’s peak-performing franchisees were honored for their success and leadership.
Chaz Wilson – Buddy’s first franchisee – was recognized for 20 years of service and success with the company’s Brand Ambassador Award.

Among the event’s additional award winners were:

  • 5 Star – 1st Place – Shannon Silvia
  • 5 Star – 2nd Place – Patricia Hailey
  • 5 Star – 3rd Place – Cameron Tucker
  • 5 Star – 4th Place – Stephanie Diane Wyche
  • 4 Star – 1st Place – Timothy Price
  • 4 Star – 2nd Place – Steven Washbish
  • 4 Star – 3rd Place – Rachel Rivas
  • 3 Star – 1st Place – Nanci Sappington
  • 3 Star – 2nd Place – Edgardo Acevedo Lugo
  • 2 Star – 1st Place – Raushelle Bryant
  • Most Improved – Claudia Gibson
  • Top Peak Performer Award $2 Million Club – Cameron Tucker and Shaun Davis
  • Tier 1 Top Region – Victor Penafiel
  • Tier 2 Top Region – Izzy Taha-Alaoui
  • Tier 3 Top Region – Region of the Year – Gabriel Soto

Breakout sessions highlighted the rest of the day, with participants learning from Dale Carnegie speaker Rick Gallegos, edutainment magician Mark Robinson, and a team of their own top-performing general managers, who provided a BUD Talk with operational best practices and exceptional leadership tactics.

“Our franchisees are the backbone of Buddy’s Home Furnishings,” said Bennett. “The Leadership Conference is one of my favorite times of the year. It’s when we come together to celebrate their achievements, strengthen our teams, and invest in their continued growth. Their dedication is what drives our brand forward, and they deserve every bit of recognition and support.”

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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.