Association of Progressive Rental Organizations (APRO)
JOIN APRO
JOIN APRO

A Major Compliance Milestone for the RTO Industry

Introducing APRO’s New State-Specific RTO/LTO Model Lease Agreement Library 

After years of discussion, analysis, and member feedback, APRO is proud to launch what may be the most significant compliance benefit we have ever offered our members: a comprehensive, state-specific Rent-to-Own / Lease-to-Own (RTO/LTO) Model Lease Agreement library, developed expressly for today’s regulatory, litigation, and enforcement environment. 

Built by Experts. Designed for Today’s Reality. 

APRO engaged Justin Hosie and Dailey Wilson, partners at Hudson Cook, LLP, one of the nation’s leading compliance law firms, to develop a library of lease agreements tailored to each state’s lease-to-own statute.

These are not generic templates pulled off a shelf. Each agreement is: 

  • Updated for emerging changes to LTO laws 
  • Adapted to provide clear, transparent disclosures for consumers to understand the agreement, obligations, and establish defined expectations 
  • Aligned with the specific RTO statute in the applicable state 
  • Structured to reflect modern arbitration and dispute-resolution requirements 
  • Designed to withstand regulatory scrutiny and keep our members in compliance 

In short, these agreements provide compliance for our members to operationalize today, meet our members’ needs, and better the RTO industry. 

Why Updating Agreements Matters More Than Ever 

Many operators understandably think about lease updates only when an RTO statute changes. But the reality is broader – and more consequential. 

Even when RTO laws remain static, the legal environment around contracts is constantly evolving, including: 

  • Core contract law standards governing disclosures, consent, and enforceability 
  • Arbitration and dispute-resolution rules, which courts scrutinize closely 
  • Marketing and advertising alignment, where inconsistencies between promotions and agreements can invite enforcement action 

An agreement that was compliant five or ten years ago may now carry hidden risk – not because RTO changed, but because everything around it did. 

This new model agreement gives members a professionally developed, statute-specific foundation that reflects current legal expectations across the full lifecycle of the transaction. 

A Word from APRO Leadership 

“This initiative represents exactly what APRO exists to do. We took one of the most complex, high-risk compliance challenges our members face and turned it into a shared, affordable, best-in-class solution. These agreements are modern, state-specific, and built for the realities our members operate in every day. I genuinely believe this is one of the strongest compliance benefits APRO has ever delivered and provides a stellar example of how APRO and our industry are advancing self-regulation.“

— Charles Smitherman, CEO, APRO

How Members Access the Agreements 

APRO now maintains a full, up-to-date library of state-specific lease agreements. Member company customization may be necessary to align with company-specific needs. To facilitate this process, APRO members can access this benefit through a dedicated APRO link connecting them directly with Hudson Cook. 

To finalize a state-specific agreement, members will enter into a limited attorney-client engagement with Hudson Cook at a heavily discounted and subsidized rate: 

  • $250 per state 
  • $375 for multiple states 

This engagement allows Hudson Cook to counsel members about the model lease for the member’s operation and jurisdiction. In addition to the template, you will have the opportunity to engage Hudson Cook for ancillary disclosures to address compliance considerations beyond the model lease.*

Just as important, this structure ensures members receive the benefit of formal legal engagement and accountability and an agreement customized for your company, not just a static form. 

Claim Your Member Benefit

Member Callout: Why This Benefit is Different 

This is not a template download. 
It is a legally grounded, state-specific agreement built to reflect: 

  • Current RTO statutes 
  • Clear, transparent disclosures for consumers 
  • Evolving contract law standards 
  • Modern arbitration and dispute-resolution requirements 
  • Real-world enforcement and litigation risk 

A Rising Tide for the Industry 

This initiative reflects APRO’s mission in action: to promote and protect the rent-to-own industry. 

By investing in shared compliance infrastructure, APRO is helping members: 

  • Reduce legal risk 
  • Increase consistency across the industry 
  • Strengthen professionalism and credibility 
  • Demonstrate leadership to regulators, courts, and consumers 

*The template does not include the following: lease-cost summary, hang tags, ACH/card/payment authorization, telephone communication authorization (servicing and marketing), convenience fees for payment by card, telephone payment fees for payment by phone, privacy policy, authorization to obtain third-party/consumer report data, consumer reporting notices, permission to call references, disclosures related to special ancillary products/services such as clubs and extended warranties, renegotiation forms, and detailed company-specific terms regarding LDW. You will have the option to further engage Hudson Cook for assistance with these items.

Upcoming Events

View Calendar


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.