Association of Progressive Rental Organizations
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APRO Launches Free “Intro to RTO” Training Course for Members 

The Association of Progressive Rental Organizations (APRO)’s Education and Engagement Committee is excited to announce the launch of Intro to RTO, a new online training course available exclusively to APRO members. Designed to be part of your new-employee orientation, the course introduces learners to the fundamentals of the rent-to-own (RTO) industry. 

Originally developed by industry leaders, the course has been refreshed by the committee to ensure it’s up to date and ready for today’s teams. Committee members collaborated with RTO employees who helped test the program, ensuring the training is both practical and effective. 

The course takes about 30 minutes to complete, and best of all – it’s FREE for APRO members! Learners can revisit the content as often as needed. 

Access the course by logging into our Business Resource Hub. If you need help logging in, please contact us at info@rtohq.org.

To begin, team members simply create a LearnWorlds account, which allows them to track progress and receive a completion certificate to share with their supervisor. LearnWorlds is APRO’s learning management platform for delivering this and future training courses.

And coming soon – APRO members will also be able to take courses through the upcoming Wonder app, providing a convenient mobile experience for learning on the go. 

Intro to RTO is organized into five micro-courses: 

  • Introduction to the Rent-to-Own Industry 
  • RTO Order Forms, Agreements, and Ethics 
  • Delivery, Installation, and Managing the RTO Account 
  • Communicating with Customers: Repair Service and Terminating the Agreement 
  • Collections in Rent-to-Own 

Learners will engage with real-world scenarios, interactive quizzes, and key resources, such as state statutes and APRO’s Code of Ethics. Upon completion, participants will be prepared to ask meaningful questions and continue their orientation with their store managers. 

While the course provides a broad foundation, employees should always follow their company’s employee handbook and internal policies as the definitive guide. 

APRO’s goal is to help employees start strong from day one – equipped with foundational knowledge, confidence, and a sense of pride in their new career. This course is the first step in building long-term success in the RTO industry. 

APRO extends sincere thanks to the Education and Engagement Committee for their vision and hard work in bringing this course to life:

  • Dennis Adams from Full-O-Pep Appliances Inc. dba American Rental
  • Trent Agin from SKC Enterprises Inc. dba Rent One
  • Tricia Fisher from Blue Ocean Brands, LLC dba Majik Rent-to-Own
  • Chad Fosdick from CR Fosdick Ent. Inc. dba Premier Rental-Purchase
  • Jeff Smith from Your Hometown Rent To Own Inc. dba Hometown Rent To Own
  • Michael Strong from Mike Strong Inc. dba Mike’s Rent-To-Own

For questions, feedback, or ideas for future training courses, please contact us at info@rtohq.org. 

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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.