Association of Professional Rental Organizations (APRO)
JOIN APRO
JOIN APRO

Rent One Kicks Off Charity at KidSmart

kidsmart
Larry presented a $3000 donation on behalf of the Charity of Choice Great Expectations Foundation. Pictured from left to right: Lauren, Ashley, and Jennifer (founder) from KidSmart, Steven Carrico (Director of Real Estate), and Larry Carrico
Rent One launched its fifth annual Great Expectations Charity of Choice campaign, providing much-needed donations to charities in all of the company’s 10 regions located across the Midwest.  Voluntary payroll deductions from Rent One employees were at the heart of the charity drive, with those pooled funds matched by corporate participation as well as contributions from Rent One’s Larry and Sharon Carrico. This year’s Great Expectations Charity of Choice campaign totaled $62,500. “The idea was to help our coworkers understand Stewardship and we thought what better way than to allow our employees to make a greater impact. Allowing them to designate through payroll deduct a few dollars per paycheck has created an easy tool for success. Our 500+ employees started the process of giving by pledging over $40,000 and with designated matches created over 100,000 to local charities,” shared APRO’s Past President and Rent One owner Larry Carrico. The charities were selected by each region’s district and store managers, and many of the causes that received Rent One donations focus on the needs of children such as education, spiritual values and youth wellness. Larry presented a $3000 check to KidSmart this week. The donation will be used for the startup of the KidSmart young professionals group. KidSmart is an organization dedicated to providing school supplies for children in need in the Greater Metropolitan St. Louis area. To donate or find out more information about this organization, click here. Rent One will continue to distribute checks throughout the next couple of months. Here is the list of regions, charities and the amount donated to each: What does the future hold for Rent One’s Charity of Choice Great Expectations Foundation? Larry shares, “It all starts with one person giving and last year we had over 453 unique donors who made a difference in their communities. The future of the Foundation is in the hands of our coworkers so we feel excited to see it to continue to grow. We are also so appreciative of our vendors support which continues to grow annually.”

Upcoming Events

View Calendar


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.