Association of Professional Rental Organizations (APRO)
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American Rental Fetes 45 Years at Expo & Picnic 

About 75 American Rental employees and their families joyfully showed up for the company’s annual tradeshow and picnic in Nashville, Indiana. 

APRO member Full-O-Pep Appliances, Inc. dba American Rental recently hosted its annual expo and companywide picnic in Nashville, Indiana, using the occasion as a special celebration of the company’s 45th anniversary. 

Operations Director James David and Sara Ayer safeguard the spread of hot sauces available at the American Rental Hog Roast. 

The event’s tradeshow featured 37 vendors exhibiting and educating American Rental store managers about the features and benefits of their products. At the end of the show, every manager received $5,000 in “American Rental money” to spend on the products of their choice. 

“We try hard to make the event as easy as possible for our vendors,” said President David P. David. “Our team does the setup and teardown so that vendors can show up, enjoy themselves, and spend their time connecting with everyone. At the end of the show, we also purchase all product to distribute to our stores.” 

Let the Games Begin 

This year’s traditional golf tournament was traded for The Great American Games – employee-vendor teams of four competing in axe-throwing, cornhole, disc golf, mini golf, and Zorb (giant inflatable plastic spheres) racing. The top three teams received cash prizes, and some fun honorary prizes – like cooler bags, bottle openers, etc. – were awarded, as well. 

(L to R) Cameron Bannister, American Rental Buyer Ron Bowling, and vendor Kevin East (far R) get in some baby face-time with American Rental Buyer Grace David and her little one, Griffin. 

“The Great American Games were a huge hit,” David said. “We’re already brainstorming ways to make next year’s competition even bigger and better. Afterward, everyone once again enjoyed our bourbon bar, which has really taken on a life of its own and featured more than 45 kinds of bourbon!” 

Food, Family, & Fireworks 

The following day, the traditional hog roast produced a delectable, easy-to-carve entrée, served alongside David’s made-from-scratch beans and a broad spectrum of barbecue sauces, served by David and his son, James David, so that they could see and talk with all attendees. 

“Everyone enjoyed bungee jumping, water slides, more games, live music, drinks, food, and a visit from Tete’s Sweet Treats ice cream truck,” said David. “Then, we finished off the weekend with a fantastic fireworks show that rivaled any I’ve ever seen, and was much better than any others in the area.” 

American Rental President David P. David (C), happily flanked by special guests APRO CEO Charles Smitherman (L) and TRIB Group Executive Director Dennis Shields (R). 
Jeff Haynes helps Store Manager Sara Hankins escape her Zorb following a round of competitive racing. 
Debbie Poole (far L) shows off her new tool set to colleagues (L to R) Nikki Stokes, Deirdre Gwyn, Darleen Leeann, Caleb Gwyn, and Ja-niece Hancock. 

Full-O-Pep Appliances, Inc. dba American Rental has been an APRO member since 1983. 

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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.