Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

Rent One kicks off stewardship campaign with “Day on the Diamond”

Great Expectations FoundationThe Great Expectations Foundation was created by Rent One’s owners, Larry and Sharon Carrico, to enhance the lives of children throughout the Midwest by awarding grants to communities, organizations and groups aimed at helping children age birth to 18.The Great Expectations Foundation awards grants two times a year for programs aimed at children’s education, fitness and wellness, and emotional and spiritual development. As a local and national foundation, Great Expectations makes it possible for smaller communities that may not have access to financial assistance get help for their younger residents so that they have the opportunity to develop as individuals. Since 2012, Rent One has raised a total of $262,133. Rent One employees donate per paycheck and that amount is matched twice – once by Rent One and once by Larry and Sharon Carrico personally. Each Rent One Regions'(composed of 6 to 9 stores) managers come together to pick a charity in their region to receive a grant from Great Expectations. Below is a list of variety from the past years choices:
  • Centralia, IL Youth Initiative – $5,075
  • Southern Illinois’ Poshard Foundation for Abused Kids – $5,000
  • Cedarhurst Center for the Arts – $1,500
  • Cape Girardeau, MO Big Brother/Sister – $5,000
  • Challenger League of Evansville, IN – $5,000
  • Poplar Bluff, MO Boys & Girls Club – $5,000
  • Jonesboro, AR City Youth Ministries – $5,000
  • Jackson, TN Imagination Library – $5,000
  • Erie, PA Shrines Hospital – $5,000
  • Jefferson City, MO Boys & Girls Club – $5,000
  • St.Louis, MO Our Little Haven – $5,000
Rent One’s Mission: to continue to expand Great Expectations while giving Rent One vendors premium access to their executive team. Rent One’s Vision: continue to score big for kids in their home towns!

Rent One in conjunction with Great Expectations has a fun filled schedule of events, as well as multiple sponsorship levels.

Day on the Diamond Schedule of Events

Tuesday July 26th, 7PM: Hall of Fame and All Star Sponsors are invited to join the Executive Team at Rent One Park to watch the Miners play, and enjoy food and beverage. Wednesday July 27th, 8:30AM – 11:30AM: Hall of Fame, All Star, and Rookie Sponsors are invited to join the Rent One Executive Team at Rent One Park for some team building, socializing, and baseball!Rent One Park Wednesday July 27th, 12:00PM – 12:45PM: All Sponsors are welcome to lunch at Rent One Park. Wednesday July 27th, 1PM – 5PM: Hall of Fame, All Star and Rookie Sponsors will be provided with specific data about their sales within Rent One. Leadership teams composed of Regional Managers, Regional Directors, VP’s as well as President Trent Agin and CEO Larry Carrico will individually visit each sponsor for 20min before rotating to the next sponsor. You will have 10, 20min sessions with our leadership team to discuss sales, current lineup, and other areas of interest you may have. Wednesday July 27th, 6PM: All Sponsors are welcome to The Diamond Club where Rent One’s Leadership Team will provide food and beverage during the baseball game. We will also conclude with a small presentation about Great Expectations and the money raised during the event. Click here to read more and/or donate.

Upcoming Events




Mike Lewis

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.