In Washington, D.C., influence tends to travel via conversation – across conference tables, amid crowded hallways, and all over Capitol Hill. Every spring, the APRO Legislative Conference (LegCon) brings together dozens of rent-to-own (RTO) professionals from across the country to join that conversation and ensure our industry’s voice is heard, listened to, and understood.
Against a backdrop of cherry blossoms and marble monuments, LegCon attendees trade their daily routines for candid discussions with Congressional lawmakers, firsthand accounts from the frontlines of RTO, and a unified message illustrating how behind every legislative decision are real businesses, real employees, and real customers who need what this industry provides.
This year’s LegCon was APRO’s 32nd, and while the mission of the event is, above all, advocacy, what that means has evolved over the decades.
“When we began the Legislative Conference, we were driving toward persuading U.S. representatives and senators to pass federal legislation to define our transaction,” recalls longtime LegCon veteran Shannon Strunk, President of Baber Strunk Enterprises. “When we went into an office, we had an ask, an objective we were trying to accomplish. But now that 47 states have approved positive RTO legislation, our methods in D.C. have changed. We introduce ourselves, put faces with the concept of rent-to-own, and build relationships. And it’s vitally important work, because if something RTO-related comes across their desks, we want to be the faces they think of and the people they call for more information. We want to be the ones to tell them the real story. That is invaluable.”
Owning the narrative is the proactive strategy of defining your own story, message, or identity before others do it for you. It means showing up with authenticity and consistency to help shape public perception well before a challenge arises – which is exactly what the APRO Legislative Conference is all about.
“I believe the heart of rent-to-own is about dignity,” APRO CEO Charles Smitherman notes. “I think it’s about seeing someone and treating them with the dignity of a fellow human being – giving them a good night’s sleep, fresh food for their table, clean clothes for work or school. RTO is about treating people with that basic level of dignity and respect. It’s what our members do every day, and that’s a story well worth telling.”
That vital, valuable storytelling is what almost 100 RTO professionals came together to do in early April in Washington, D.C.
Both the APRO Board of Directors and the APRO Vendor Advisory Committee met on a springlike Wednesday afternoon, leading into the official conference kickoff – a Welcome Reception at the beautiful boutique Royal Sonesta Hotel, sponsored by Benefit Marketing Solutions and O’Rourke Sales Company.
Surrounded by stunning floor-to-ceiling windows and a spectacular wraparound balcony, attendees introduced, reconnected, and strategized over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in preparation for the big day to follow.
The crowd comprised a healthy blend of experienced LegCon experts and advocacy novices, including the third class of APRO Legislative Fellows – 18 newcomers specially mentored to become next-gen champions for rentto- own, and whose participation at the event was sponsored by state rental dealer associations and APRO members Ashley Furniture Industries, Benefit Marketing Solutions, RNR Tire Express, RTO Reinsurance Concepts, and Slumba, LLC.
“We created the APRO Legislative Conference Fellowship Program with the idea that we have so many people who have been doing this for so many years,” Smitherman explains. “We’re all inheriting a great tradition from people who spent years fighting statutory battles and establishing the legislative and regulatory framework we enjoy today. This program is a sustainability exercise for the industry, putting new folks with our veterans so they can gain valuable insights into the policymaking process, and make meaningful connections with both their RTO peers and federal lawmakers.”
“My first year, I was nervous,” remembers Justin Burns, Director of Marketing with Full-O-Pep Appliances Inc. dba American Rental. “I didn’t know what I was getting into or who I was going to be talking to or what to say. But now, I understand that this is more about building relationships. And not only have I learned from other APRO members who have been doing this for decades, but also it’s just a good time. I’ve learned more talking with these guys than I ever have being in a store.”
Thursday was an early start with a hearty breakfast sponsored by APRO associate member TRIB Group. The keynote was a conversation between Smitherman and the Deputy Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Geoff Gradler. The pair covered a broad spectrum of topics, from the agency’s staffing and operations under the current administration to its regulatory priorities moving forward. Gradler also fielded questions from event participants related to rent-to-own, particularly about the importance of the industry self-regulating via solid ethics and best practices.
Following a proud group photo at the U.S. Capitol – sponsored by Hudson Cook LLP – APRO members split into 18 region-specific teams to hit the Hill. They spent the rest of the day getting their steps in by walking up, down, and all around Capitol Hill, working hard to complete a grand total of 111 industriously scheduled meetings with Congressional lawmakers and staff members representing 24 states, all within about six hours’ time – a whole lotta good news to spread about RTO.
At day’s end, exhausted-yet-energized LegCon attendees regrouped for a delicious Debrief Dinner, sponsored by Ashley Furniture Industries. Shannon Strunk opened the evening by applauding his colleagues for the essential work they did for their business that day.
“What you did today was unbelievably important,” Strunk affirmed. “If some sort of legislation dealing with rent-to-own comes across the desks of the representatives or senators you’ve met with and are building relationships with, you’re going to be the one they think about, and you’re hopefully going to be the one they call and say, ‘What does this mean? How does this affect you? How does this impact our district or state?’ So kudos to all of you.” Smitherman echoed Strunk’s sentiments and thanked conference participants for taking time away from their busy stores and daily lives to make a difference for their industry.
“I know when you’re in your stores and doing everything day to day, it’s hard to get away,” said Smitherman. “But it’s beneficial to step back, come up here, and see the full picture – to speak with one voice and share the good news about RTO.”
Many attendees shared their experiences of the day in D.C.
“When I was a kid, it was my dream to work in the government,” began Emily Dickinson, a new Legislative Fellow and Assistant Manager & Account Retention Manager with Blue Ocean Brands LLC.
“Then I grew up, watched the news, and changed my mind. But having the chance to give our elected officials my perspective as an everyday person working with customers, building community relations, and having people know me as ‘the girl from Majik RTO who’s going to help me’ – it was really rewarding.”
Several participants repeated tales from the field that they had told Congressional members and aides, showcasing how RTO businesses benefit customers in unique and uniquely personal ways.
“I had an elderly lady who was a good customer, and she had just done her once-a-month grocery shopping,” Debbie Brake, a General Manager with National TV Sales & Rental, related. “She began putting things into her refrigerator, and realized it’s not working. That was her food for the month. So she called us, and it was 15 minutes to close.
I talked with a couple of our guys, and they volunteered to stay late to deliver a fridge to her, and our customer was able to save her food. I gave her the first month free, and she paid it off early. It was a total win-win situation.”
Danelle Langeneckert, Director of Sales for APRO associate member O’Rourke Sales Company, gave an account of a single mom whose kids had reached school age and suddenly needed smart tablets and laptop computers.
“It’s just so hard for someone to just go to the store and buy costly technology like that outright,” asserted Langeneckert. “And they might not have the credit to cover that, either. So they can come to their local rent-to-own store and be able to afford the things that are now necessary to just run a family and a household day to day.”
“We had an elderly customer who had just gotten custody of her grandchildren, and her hot water tank broke down,” Christopher Posey, a District Manager for Your Hometown Rent To Own Inc. dba Hometown Rent To Own, offered. “Well, that’s not something we normally carry, but she was a great customer with whom we’d built a strong relationship. So we found a hot water tank, paid for the installation, and she used our four-months-same-as-cash option.
It worked out perfectly.” A recurring theme among attendees was the lack of understanding and loads of misconceptions about the rent-to-own industry they observed among lawmakers – including who the customers are, how the transaction works, the integral flexibility and service of the model, and RTO operators’ purpose.
“I can’t tell you how many offices we walked into and asked whether they knew much about RTO, and the answer was ‘no,’” said Langeneckert. “There’s a lot of education to be done about our industry.”
“This is my third year at LegCon, and I learned in the first year, in the first meeting, how important this effort is” said Brittany Hurt, a Regional Manager with Impact RTO Holdings dba Rent-A-Center, and a member of the inaugural class of Legislative Fellows. “It is absolutely needed. Our Congressional leaders just don’t know what our stores do every day, and it’s our duty to help them understand who we are, what we do, and why we’re important to our customers.”
Paul Metivier, President of Impact RTO Holdings dba Rent-A-Center, ensured federal legislators and staff members understood both who RTO serves and what would happen to those customers without rent-to-own as an option.
“In my opinion, we’re the world’s least discriminatory business,” Metivier explained. “Anyone can walk in – it doesn’t matter what their background is, their income, race, or ethnicity. When they walk in, they’re going to be treated with respect, and they’re going to be taken care of. And without RTO, the customers who are currently underserved wouldn’t be served at all, and that would be a tragedy.”
As the APRO Legislative Conference continues to grow and develop, more and more up-and-coming industry leaders are filling the rent-to-own advocacy pipeline for the next generation of RTO professionals.
“We’ve got to keep on coming back, because we don’t know what’s going to change from year to year,” stated James David, a former Legislative Fellow and Director of Operations with American Rental. “Legislation can change, representatives can change, administrations can change. And we must make sure RTO stays top-of-mind for our Congresspeople. Having this network of leaders who can advocate on our behalf and educate others on the benefits of our industry is truly priceless.”
“This has by far been one of the best experiences I’ve had in RTO,” Lauren Talicska, a new Legislative Fellow and Vice President of Marketing & Communications for Arona Corporation dba Arona Home Essentials, effused. “It makes me feel so good about what we do and about our industry as a whole. Before I came here, there was no way I could know how much it would affect me, how much I’d enjoy talking with our legislators and telling them the RTO story. It’s been a great, fulfilling journey for me, and I one-hundred-percent intend to come again next year.”
“Even though we compete against each other out in the marketplace, we all stand together as one here in D.C.,” concluded Michael McFadden, Manager of Operational Training for Aaron’s, LLC, and also a new Legislative Fellow. “We shared a lot, including a common goal of continuing to guard and protect our business and our livelihoods. I’d love to be at LegCon again next year – in fact, I’m going to go ahead and manifest it. I’ll see y’all in 2027!”
Kristen Card has been a contributing writer for RTOHQ: The Magazine for more than 20 years.
