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Aaron’s Refreshes Second-Ever NY Teen Club 

Aaron’s Senior Director of Corporate Affairs Michael Wall (L) presents Albany Clubhouse Director David Gordon (R) with a $10,000 contribution to help support the center’s teen programming. 

APRO member Aaron’s, LLC, recently completed a refresh of the Albany, New York, Clubhouse of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capital Area – the company’s 71st teen-center refresh nationwide since 2015. 

Aaron’s team members delivered, assembled, and installed $20,000 worth of brand-new furniture and electronics at the Albany Clubhouse in less than 24 hours. Aaron’s also presented the nonprofit with a $10,000 cash donation to support future programming for teens at the center. 

“Our teens are our future, so it fills us with pride to give back in a way that has such a direct impact during this crucial stage of their development,” said Aaron’s Senior Director of Corporate Affairs, Michael Wall. “This is only the second teen-center refresh we’ve completed in New York, and our team was thrilled to deliver for the Albany community by creating a safe and engaging space for these teens.” 

Built for Belonging 

Teens at the clubhouse helped direct the refresh by sharing their design ideas and the products they wanted in the center. The updated space includes comfy furniture, five smart TVs, gaming systems, virtual reality equipment, arcade games, and a zero-gravity massage chair – a place where teens will definitely want to relax, connect, and spend time together. 

“If you want to reach teens, you must meet them where they are and create a space that’s attractive to them,” Patrick Doyle, President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Capital Area, said. “Thanks to Aaron’s, our teens have a state-of-the-art center to engage them and serve their social needs, leading to positive outcomes and successful futures.” 

At the reveal of the refreshed clubhouse, Aaron’s team members, Boys & Girls Club leadership, and local teens were joined by New York State Senator Patricia Fahy, New York Assemblymember Gabriella Romero, Albany County and city leaders, and representatives from the offices of New York Governor Kathy Hochul, State Attorney General Letitia James, and U.S. Congressman Paul Tonko. 

One photo shows a room decorated with plush grey sofas, a large television, and a massage chair. Two big blue “Aaron’s Gives” signs flank the TV. Another photo shows a room featuring a pool table, six big grey poufs facing four large TV screens, and video gaming sets.
The Albany Clubhouse now features plenty of comfy seating, five smart TVs, VR equipment, gaming systems, and arcade games – all courtesy of Aaron’s. 

More Than a Makeover 

The Albany Clubhouse refresh was part of Aaron’s commitment of more than $13.5 million to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, intended to help clubs attract teen members and provide them with safe, healthy environments they can call their own. The spaces updated by Aaron’s have experienced an average increase of 84% in new teen members during the six months following their refresh. 

“This kind of project shows the value of companies being closely connected to the communities where their team members live and work,” said APRO CEO Charles Smitherman. “The same skills used by rent-to-own businesses every day to help customers create comfortable, functional homes can also help nonprofit partners build welcoming spaces where young people can connect, learn, and grow.” 

A red-haired woman wearing a black dress speaks into a microphone, surrounded by a crowd of people, many of them wearing bright blue Aaron’s shirts.
New York State Senator Patricia Fahy (C, black dress) shares some encouraging words with attendees at the Albany Clubhouse reveal event. 
Young people and adults mingle, some around a pool table, some sitting and playing video games. Several are wearing bright blue Aaron’s shirts.
Albany, New York, youth and guests eagerly explore their newly refreshed teen center and its many engaging amenities. 
A brunette woman wearing an ivory-colored dress and red blazer speaks into a microphone to a small crowd of people in a living-room-like setting.
Gabriella Romero (C, red jacket), Assembly member for New York State’s 109th Assembly District, speaks to the crowd at the revel event for the Albany, New York, center.  

About Aaron’s, LLC  

Aaron’s, LLC, provides a direct-to-consumer lease-to-own solution through its approximately 1,200 company-operated and franchised stores in 47 states and Canada, as well as its e-commerce platform, Aarons.com. Aaron’s, LLC, has been an APRO member since 2003. 

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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.