Officially, Devin Zenteno is the Store Manager of the Lake Wales, Florida, location of CPL Group Inc. dba Rent King. Unofficially, he’s known as the Mayor of Lake Wales.
Zenteno moved to Florida from Rhode Island as a middle-schooler, graduated from Lake Wales High School (go, Highlanders!), wed young, and went to work for Disney in Orlando, Florida, as a “houseman,” supporting resort housekeeping and operations. When his wife became ill, the couple wanted to move closer to family; an opportunity arose with Rent King in Winter Haven, Florida, so Zenteno suddenly found himself in rent-to-own.
“I had just turned 20, didn’t have a college degree, but did have a young family,” Zenteno says. “So having someone believe in me and give me a chance to prove what I was capable of meant everything to me. They saw potential in me before I saw it in myself, and that created a deep sense of loyalty for me. Which is a big part of why I’m still with Rent King 26 years later.”
Zenteno began as a delivery specialist, but rapidly rose through the ranks to become an account manager, customer service manager, assistant manager, and – within just two years – store manager opening up a location in Avon Park, Florida.
“I was only 21 years old, and it was a terrific opportunity,” says Zenteno. “We moved closer to Avon Park and bought our first home. I was Rent King’s youngest manager at the time, and that’s when RTO turned into an actual career for me.”
Coming Home to Stay
After about five years in Avon Park, Rent King leadership offered Zenteno the chance to return to Lake Wales as the Store Manager of the company’s flagship store there – a homecoming Zenteno was happy to have.
“I’ve had the opportunity to become a district manager or move up into other positions within the company,” Zenteno says. “But I’m passionate about what I do, who I do it with, and where I do it. And Lake Wales is home.”
Which is how Zenteno earned the informal moniker “The Mayor of Lake Wales” for being such a fixture in the community – showing up, being likable, and continually giving back.
The Mayor of Lake Wales
“I’ve been fortunate, through Rent King, to be able to help our community by offering time, energy, and money to deserving causes,” says Zenteno. “I’ve volunteered and sponsored and donated with different sports teams and school events and charitable organizations. My team and I have been able to do so much for our community, thanks to Rent King.”
Zenteno’s hands-on approach to relationship-building seems to apply to his professional efforts as well; while he recognizes the inescapable importance of keeping up with the digital age, Zenteno is a self-confessed “old-schooler.”
“I like shaking hands and hugging babies and letting folks know what we can do for them, how we can help,” Zenteno says. “Consumers can go anywhere, so the question is, why do they choose to come to the Lake Wales Rent King? The answer is, they come to us because of who’s here – our staff.”
Zenteno is proud of his well-seasoned staff, and what they offer customers: choices, flexibility, and convenience with a personal flair.
“For someone who wants to truly try it before they buy it, RTO is the key,” he says. “Not only can you try it with no obligation, but whatever your situation may be, we can accommodate it. If you need a lower payment, we can make that happen. If you want to pay off an item sooner rather than later, we can make that happen. We’re here to help our customers through whatever they’re dealing with.”
Customers Keep Coming Back
As an example, Zenteno notes that many Lake Wales customers are “snowbirds” who are in Florida for only half the year, and worry about deserting fully furnished homes for the other half.
“With us, they can come in, get what they need, and return it six months later,” explains Zenteno. “We’ve got one older customer who comes down, rents a lift chair for six months, then calls me and says, ‘Hey Devin, I’m heading back home next week; can you come grab it?’ She’s a repeat customer every year.
“And I’ve got another customer who shops with us not because he has to do rent-to-own, but because he wants to,” he concludes. “That means something to me, because he can go anywhere else and chooses to come to us. We take care of him, and he keeps on coming back. That sort of repeat business means we’re doing something right.”
