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Oh, the Omaha Lessons Learned

RTO World 2025 offered oodles of lessons for noodles to learn – here’s a dozen tidbits we took to-go!

  1. Though you might do your best to support the Nebraska cattle industry by eating A LOT of steak while visiting, you still might not manage a sighting of the beef-loving billionaire, Warren Buffet.
  2. Every rental dealer must find a way to promote rent-toown to 20-something customers. All businesses need to bring younger customers into the fold, and RTO needs to be top-of-mind with young adults moving out on their own for the first time.
  3. Stuffing backpacks for local students can thrill a school principal so much that she almost wants to go back to school early so the kids can see their swag. Almost.
  4. A great three-point line in your store is crucial: Step back about 15 feet from where folks make payments, and draw an imaginary circle. Fill it with your best deals, and it will serve you well.
  5. While RTO World 2025 shirts and hats were a hit, you’ve got to be quick to nab some APRO readers (we hope the select few who got them are using them to read this magazine!).
  6. When facing a corrective conversation, it’s best to just get it done. The longer you let it linger, the more mental space it inhabits in your brain, and besides, the other person can’t fix an issue until you tell them there is one.
  7. The Omaha Hilton bar makes for an excellent unofficial dugout, with plenty of team spirit(s) and no scorekeeping!
  8. “Dirty for 30” isn’t as HR-related as it might seem; it simply means a half-hour of everyone in a store cleaning together – and done regularly, it’s a great way to keep your location sparkling!
  9. Omaha hometown dude – and former Ace Rent-To-Own Director of Marketing & Merchandising – Brian Eckleberry’s music will ECKO around in your head for days after you dance the night away – #totallyworthit!
  10. Understanding what the other person took from a conversation is the most important part. Always follow up, and ask what they heard – you want to make sure it’s what you wanted them to hear.
  11. “Most of us think of ourselves as thinking creatures that feel, but we are actually feeling creatures that think” (a quotable quote from Jill Bolte Taylor, neuroanatomist & author, via Mike Tissot of Rent-2-Own).
  12. Nebraska is chock full o’ Cornhusker-isms, such as Aksarben (“Nebraska” spelled backwards, it’s the name of both a famous philanthropic foundation and an Omaha neighborhood), doodinkus (a gadget, trinket, or other small object whose name is unknown or forgotten), and Der Viener Schlinger (again, no HR necessary – it’s a giant hot-dog gun used at University of Nebraska football games).

Kristen Card has been a contributing writer for RTOHQ: The Magazine for more than 20 years.

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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.