The Missouri Rental Dealers Association (MRDA) wrapped up another outstanding year with its 2026 Heartland of America Regional Tradeshow, a three-day gathering that brought 137 of Missouri’s rent-to-own (RTO) community together for education, connection, and celebration. With representatives from seven dealer companies and 41 vendor partners, this year’s show made history with a record 72 booths on the exhibit floor selling over $1,165,000 in goods and services. And MRDA was supported by generous vendors who provided nearly $16,000 in sponsorships and raffle prizes for attendees. Aaron Windsor of National TV Sales and Rentals organized a Political Action Committee (PAC) that generated $3,700 for MRDA’s advocacy efforts, which support Missouri state legislators from both sides of the aisle who share common business values.
Bass Tournament
Kicking things off on day one was the beloved “Tiger” John Cleek & Ben Neuharth Memorial MRDA Buddy Bass Tournament, a cherished tradition honoring two giants of the rent-to-own world: former APRO President “Tiger” John Cleek and former National Rent To Own Regional Manager Ben Neuharth. Sponsored by Ashley Furniture Industries, Autco Distributing, Corsicana Mattress Company, and WC Bradley Outdoor Brands, and chaired by MRDA President John Cleek, Jr., the tournament drew plenty of friendly competition out on the water. The first-place winners were John Bettinger from Atlog and Chris Hayes from AAA Rent To Own of Idaho Inc. dba Rentown, who weighed in with six bass at 15.6 pounds, with Bettinger also winning the “Big Bass” award for the single largest fish at 5.2 pounds.
The second-place winners were not far behind, with Jeff Dowdy and John Nissen from Cleek’s Home Furnishings/Rentals & Sales, who weighed in at 12.8 pounds with five bass. Dowdy was just shy of “Big Bass” with his largest fish weighing 5.12 pounds.
Windsor and his son, Charlie, came in third place, weighing in with six bass at 10.15 pounds. And Justin Walters of WC Bradley and his precious nieces and nephews nabbed fourth place with five bass weighing in at 8.7 pounds. Jen Troke, APRO Vice President, joined in the fun and was surprised at how great the fishing was, noting that she “forced every single attendee to admire her big fish photo.”
The evening carried the celebratory spirit forward with the Tiger Social, followed by an after-party in Cleek’s Presidential Suite – the perfect setting for candid conversations and poker! Vraj Parikh of Atlog had the winning hands and walked away as the grand champion.
Golf Tournament
Day two opened with the Mark Windsor Memorial Golf Tournament, a tribute to former APRO Board Member and National TV founder Mark Windsor. The tournament delivered plenty of highlights on the course, including:
The first-place team shot a 62 (-9) and included Kyle Danzer from Clover Returns Management Solutions, Dan Anderson from Ashley Furniture Industries, Mark Blanchard from RTO ReinsuranceConcepts, and James MacAlpine from Benefit Marketing Solutions.
The second-place team shot a 64 (-7) and included Marty Smith from L2 Corporation, Keven Dalke from O’Rourke Sales Company, Joe Hickey from Audit Advantage, and Doug Cooksey from Corsicana.
The third-place team shot a 66 (-5) and included Adam Ball from Esquire Advertising, Lance Beshore from Arona Home Essentials, and Jeff Dowdy and Dennis Politte from Cleek’s.
And in an exciting twist, there was a scorecard playoff for third place!
There were also a host of contest winners, including:
- Closest to the Pin – Front 9: Jimmy Taylor from 3Z Brands dba Southerland Sleep
- Closest to the Pin – Back 9: Marty Smith from L2
- Long Drive – Men: Kevin Silvers from New Generations Diamond & Jewelry Co.
- Long Drive – Women: Lara Cox from WOW Brands
- Longest Putt: Howard Topping from Slumba Mattress
Congratulations to all the golfers!
Banquet & Awards
The exhibit hall was buzzing throughout the show, and the annual banquet and awards ceremony brought the full community together to recognize outstanding performances and celebrate the spirit of the industry. Trophies were presented by MRDA President John Cleek, Jr. to the tournament winners, and sponsors were recognized for their continued investment in the show’s success.
APRO CEO Charles Smitherman addressed attendees at the banquet, emphasizing pride in the RTO industry and the rich history and critical role of the RTO transaction in serving communities across the country.
“The founders of our industry knew that rent-to-own was a vital community service, and they understood inherently why advocacy and community matter so much in this industry,” noted Smitherman. “I urge you to continue to take pride in the work and its rich history and salute the incredible work of MRDA and its members.”
Two Missouri-based lobbyists also joined the program to offer an inside look at the ongoing legislative work happening on behalf of the industry.
And two long-time dealers were recognized for over 40 years in the RTO business – Ball surprised Heather and John Cleek, Jr. from Cleek’s Home Furnishings, and Aaron and Kathy Windsor of National TV Sales and Rentals, with commemorative plaques and thanked them for their service to their communities and the RTO family.
Educational Sessions
The final day focused on product training sessions, featuring Ashley Furniture and Leopard Mobility. Chase Pitman and team shared tips on all aspects of the Ashley product line, including what to look for in sofa mechanisms, the features of mattresses that keep customers comfortable, and the latest on case good features. Mark Rhea shared the ins and outs of gaming PCs and demonstrated the pieces and parts of the systems so that everyone can sell them and not “just the young guy.”
The educational portion of the event was capped off with a lively keynote session by Lauren Talicska from Arona. Talicska shared practical strategies for updating a store’s Google Business Profile, along with some ideas for using NFC tools to generate customer feedback. She noted that it’s very important to keep your business’ online information “fresh,” and she has also shared more tips in her newly released article, Mow the Lawn, Polish the Profile: Upgrading Your Store’s Digital Curb Appeal.
Thank You
From the Bass Tournament and Golf Tournament to educational sessions, product trainings, networking socials, and a packed exhibit hall, Heartland 2026 was filled with meaningful connections and opportunities to help our industry grow.
“I felt that this year’s trade show was one of the best ones we’ve ever had, with a record 72 booths and nearly $1.2 million in purchases,” said Cleek, Jr. “The only thing that would make our show even better is increased attendance from dealers nationwide. We appreciated Kacee and Chris Hayes from Rentown in Idaho, and Ray McDowell from Advanced RTO in Tennessee making the trip. Special thanks to Lauren Talicska from Arona Home Essentials for delivering an informative keynote presentation on digital advertising and Google reviews, plus our product training sessions by Ashley Furniture and Leopard Mobility. We sincerely thank our vendors for all their support; they make this show possible. We also thank Macy and Liz Mitchell from All-American Rental for being our trade show organizers.”
To see all the photos in the MRDA photo album, click here to go to APRO’s community.
Thank you for making Heartland 2026 one to remember, and it’s not too early to save the date for Heartland of America Regional Tradeshow 2027, June 15-17!
