Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

TRIB’s 2016 Meeting of the Minds Agenda

MeetingOftheMindsTRIB Group’s 2016 Meeting of the Minds event and trade show is next week! The three day event is co-located with BrandSource’s National Convention at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, August 28-31, 2016. Below you’ll find schedules, registration desk hours, exhibit hall floor plan, as well as other useful information and links to help you plan your week.
TRIB Registration Desk Hours Sunday, August 28th: 12 – 6PM Monday, August 29th: 7AM – 5PM
The TRIB Group Registration desk is located on the Emperors Level at Office 5 directly in front of the escalators and to the right of the elevator bank. All registered vendors will need to stop by the registration desk to pick up their name badges and registration packet- including important event information as well as your Purchase Order sheets for your expo booth.
TRIB Group Schedule
This is TRIB’s general schedule for the week, including a few of BrandSource’s events that vendors can attend – some events require RSVP.
BrandSource Exhibitor Agenda
This is BrandSource’s Exhibitor Agenda offering educational sessions, networking events and lunches, as well as social events such as their Registration Happy Hour on Sunday and Karaoke competition on Monday night after the Hot Show & Stampede – some events require RSVP.
Mandatory Vendor Meeting Monday, August 29th, Palace Ballroom 1: 4PM
All vendors are required to attend the Vendor Meeting on Monday afternoon which will be held directly before the TRIB Group Hot Show at 4 p.m. Please be sure at least one representative is present. Don’t forget to stick around afterward for the Hot Show from 4:30 to 7 p.m.
Where is everyone? Caesar’s Lobby Bar the un-official TRIB Meet-up
Looking for Members & Vendors at the end of the day…you’ll find them at the Lobby Bar located just off the lobby in Caesars Palace. This is a great spot to meet your group before or after dinner for networking or to kick-back and relax. Still have questions about the MOTM? Contact the TRIB Group Office for answers on their website or call 770/451-4302.

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.