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National TV Goes Wild for 40th Anniversary 

A middle-aged couple wearing sunglasses stand smiling behind a huge inflatable frame reading “Wanted Dead or Alive / Reward $100,000.”
National TV Owner Aaron Windsor (L) and his wife, Robyn (R), play outlaws for the day at the Wild West-themed event. 

APRO member National TV Sales & Rental recently held its annual family fun day at pretty little Boswell Park in Lebanon, Missouri. Despite triple-digit temperatures, more than 185 National TV employees, retirees, and their families spent the day having a rootin’ tootin’ good time as the company celebrated its 40th anniversary with a Wild West theme. 

The event began many years ago with Founders Mark and Kathy Windsor hosting a National TV summer barbecue every year at their farm, with Mark on the grill and Kathy in the kitchen. They originated the get-together as a way for team members to relax and get to know each other while enjoying good food, a cool swim, and a game of horseshoes. In recent years, the company has begun using other venues so that Kathy can kick back, too. 

A Roundup for Fun 

This year’s Wild West-themed event featured authentic chuckwagon fare, like burgers, chili, steak sandwiches, and an array of fruit cobblers. Attendees received their own branded cups to take to the drink wagon for bottomless refills of lemonade, dirty soda, root beer floats, and more. 

Available activities included Gypsy Vanner horse rides, Nick’s Barnyard Buddies petting zoo, inflatables, a cornhole tournament, and live music by the high-energy dynamic country band Cherry & James. 

Riding into the Future 

Kathy and Rick Windsor were both presented with engraved crystal clocks to honor their full four decades with National TV, while second-generation Owner Aaron Windsor made sure folks know the 40-year milestone is just a midway mark for the company. 

“We’re 40 years proud and growing – we grew eight stores this year!” Aaron noted. “But this day is 100 percent about fellowship; I always aim for it to be a day full of fun, food, and family. This is just one small way we can show our appreciation for the hard work our employees put in all year round, as well as all the support they continuously receive from their spouses and families. We just want them to have a chance to take a break and recreate together!” 

A line of people beside cornhole boards participate in the game in a park environment.
National TV team members compete in a hotly (literally) contested cornhole tournament during the company’s annual family fun day. 
Two women ride chestnut-colored horses being led by a woman and a young boy through a park.
Robyn Windsor (L, horseback) and Eva Windsor (R, horseback) spend a little time in the saddle on two Gypsy Vanner horses. 
Three men standing under the shade of a white tent smile broadly while holding up colorful snow cones.
RTO family guests (L to R) Kevin Silvers, Robby Tyson, and Anthony DeGregory cool off via snow cones. 
The event offered folks genuine Wild West ambiance, including chuckwagon fare, a petting zoo, and live country music.
Three middle-aged people – a woman between two men – wearing summer clothing stand smiling in the sunshine. The men both wear baseball caps and sunglasses, while the woman holds a black box with a crystal clock inside it.
Owner Aaron Windsor (R) presents crystal clocks to family members Kathy Windsor (C) and Rick Windsor (L) to commemorate their 40-year careers with National TV. 

About National TV Sales & Rental 

National TV has been an APRO member since 1998. 

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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.