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Rent-2-Own Annual Meeting Inspires Employees to Lock In

R2O Manager of the Year Richie Baker (L) accepts his award from Owner Mike Tissot (R). 

APRO member Countryside Rentals Inc. dba Rent-2-Own (R2O) held its Annual Meeting in Wilmington, Ohio, in early February, with about 500 employees gathering to bond, laugh, celebrate, and – as the officially announced company theme for the year – “Lock In.” 

Attendees were greeted to the event with champagne and live music, leading into a general session led by Owner Mike Tissot. Participants paid tribute to two R2O legends lost over the past year: Mary Johnson, Manager of the Bridgeport, Ohio, store; and Mike’s father and company Founder, Darrell Tissot. Darrell opened R2O in 1985, served as APRO President among other leadership positions, and became an industry icon. 

Mike Tissot then turned to the company’s new “Lock In” theme for 2026. 

“Lock In is a mindset that turns obligations into opportunities,” Tissot said. “We’re not locked in by contracts or by fear, but by choice, commitment, and purpose. How we step into 2026 matters, and this year, Rent-2-Own is walking through DOORS that require intention and discipline: Decisions, Opportunities, Ownership, Retention, and Standards.” 


 Owner Mike Tissot (R) presents Teri Bolander (C) with the R2O Lifetime Achievement Award. 
Bonnie Sargent (C), R2O Store Manager in Portsmouth, Ohio, was a double winner at the company’s Annual Meeting, earning both Employee of the Year and Store of the Year Awards. 
Jane Tissot (L) stands by her son Mike (R), now the Owner of the company founded by her late husband, Darrell. 

The day continued with food, games, awards, and prizes – including two new cars, given away to employees Hannah Bath from the Greenville, Ohio, location, and Marianne Smith from the Hillsboro, Ohio, store. 

Some special guests attended the R2O Annual Meeting, including (L to R) Kevin Silvers of New Generations Diamond & Jewelry Co., APRO CEO Charles Smitherman, Ben Leach and Ryan Boege of Ace Furniture & TV Inc. dba Ace Rent-To-Own, and Michael Strong and Angela Strong-McCool of Mike Strong Inc. dba Mike’s Rent-To-Own.

Vendors were honored for their commitment to R2O’s success, and many awards were presented, including: 

  • Store of the Year – Portsmouth, Ohio 
  • Lifetime Achievement – Teri Bolander, Washington Court House, Ohio 
  • Employee of the Year – Bonnie Sargent, Portsmouth, Ohio 
  • Manager of the Year – Richie Baker, Zanesville, Ohio 
  • Regional Manager of the Year – Mark McCown 
  • Rookie of the Year – Shane Young, West Union, Ohio 
  • Supporting Actors/Actresses – Jason Mayes, Service Manager, Waverly, Ohio; Amy Morrow, Collections Manager, London, Ohio; & Kristie Williams, Sales Manager, Chillicothe, Ohio 
  • Customer Sales Rep of the Year – Kole Wheeler, Chillicothe, Ohio 
  • Account Managers of the Year – Jaman Miller & Cinthea Wittekind, Zanesville, Ohio  
  • Delivery Team of the Year – Frankie Lemaster & Tyler Mullins, Louisa, Ohio 
  • Slash Award – Marianne Smith, Hillsboro, Ohio 
  • Home Office Employees of the Year – Aaron Days (Service), Craig Dunn (Warehouse), & Courtney Woods (Purchasing) 

“Rent-2-Own is planning for a successful 2026,” said Tissot. “We’ll continue to break records by choosing to Lock In, walk through DOORS with confidence, and make this year something to be proud of.” 

R2O team members Hannah Bath and Marianne Smith were the lucky winners of new cars. 

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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.