Association of Professional Rental Organizations (APRO)
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FRDA Annual Meeting Features RTO  History, Volunteerism, & Info-Sharing 

Seven men from different rent-to-own companies stand and smile.
Roundtable facilitators from a variety of companies worked together to lead topical conversations during the FRDA Annual Meeting: (L to R) Mark Kelly, Pete Shau, Phil Hamer, Josh Ciesicki, Keith Miller, Sean Wissel, and Sachin Rama (Adam Stark not pictured). 

Almost 150 rent-to-own (RTO) professionals gathered recently for the Florida Rental Dealers Association’s (FRDA) return trip to the historic Ybor City neighborhood of Tampa, Florida, for the organization’s Annual Meeting. 

The event kicked off with an FRDA Welcome Social at the contemporary Hotel Haya, featuring drinks, dinner, cigar-rolling stations, and live music. 

The next morning, the association got down to business with its Annual Member Meeting, led by FRDA President Chris Kale, Jr. Kale spoke about the organization’s successful 2025 District Advocacy Blitz, during which FRDA members visited their lawmakers locally in their districts. 

APRO CEO Charles Smitherman gave the event’s keynote address, crafted around the recent book he published with co-author Ryan Krass of WOW Brands, The RTO Revolution: A Definitive History of Advocacy and Consumer Access. Smitherman reviewed how the industry has evolved over the past four decades, as well as how APRO is working to use artificial intelligence to ensure rent-to-own’s future success. All meeting participants also received free copies of the book. 

Next, FRDA Past President Paul Metivier announced the 2026 Kirk Kaye Volunteer Award recipient – Sachin Rama, Director of Finance & Administration for Impact RTO Holdings dba Rent-A-Center. As part of Rama’s award, FRDA contributed $1,000 to the APRO Charitable Foundation Disaster Relief Fund. 

Dozens of people seated at tables listen intently to Smitherman as he presents from a stage with a screen behind him reading “Your Industry, Your Revolution.”
APRO CEO Charles Smitherman served as keynote speaker to a full house at the FRDA Annual Meeting in Tampa, Florida. 
The Kirk Kaye Volunteer Award recognizes Sachin Rama (L) with a donation made in his honor to the APRO Disaster Relief Fund, presented by Kaye’s son, William (C), and wife, Cecilia (R).
Two women stand together and smile brightly with a crowd behind them.
Sharon Tomaszewski of CPL Group Inc. dba Rent King and Tracy Cintron of RNR Tire Express happily reconnect at the FRDA Annual Meeting Welcome Reception. 

Connections Continue During Roundtables & Vendor Fair

FRDA Vice President Mike Zagar then directed a series of roundtable discussions facilitated by eight industry leaders – Josh Ciesicki of Great Rooms Central, LLC, Phil Hamer of BHF Operating Company LLC, Mark Kelly of BHF Operating Company, LLC, Keith Miller of CPL Group Inc. dba Rent King, Sachin Rama of Impact RTO, Pete Shau of RNR Tire Express, Adam Stark of Happy’s Home Centers Inc., and Sean Wissel of Aaron’s, LLC. Each facilitator led a brief subject-specific conversation, rotating to different tables every five minutes while gathering insights, which they shared with the whole group at the session’s end. A vendor fair topped off the day with plenty of networking and shopping opportunities. 

“Our FRDA board was excited to bring the rent-to-own industry back to Ybor City for the second straight year,” said Kale. “We are thankful for all of our vendor and dealer support. The entire state came together to make this another memorable event!” 

“The FRDA team continues to deliver an exceptional meeting every year,” Smitherman added. “I enjoyed being back in Ybor City and being part of such a huge group coming together to learn from each other and share best practices. This kind of event really strengthens our industry not only at the state level, but also overall.”

FRDA Annual Meeting attendees participate in lively conversation during roundtable discussions. 
Two men interact over a table holding a laptop and informational paperwork while a crowd of others move about around them.
A Vendor Fair proved to be an energetic ending to a full day at the FRDA Annual Meeting. 
Four men stand side-by-side with arms around each other, smiling.
(L to R) FRDA Past President Paul Metivier, Sachin Rama, FRDA President Chris Kale, Jr., and APRO CEO Charles Smitherman, happy to be back in Tampa, Florida’s Ybor City neighborhood for the FRDA Annual Meeting. 

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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.