Association of Progressive Rental Organizations (APRO)
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A Spectacular Setting for Premier

premier-convention-group-photoThe Premier Companies, a rent to own Franchisor, with Premier Rental Purchase and Premier Home Furnishing brands, ended it’s first day of their 2017 National Convention with a moonlit beach dinner in Key Largo, Florida. The Premier Companies began the first full day of the convention with Trooper Earle, President and CEO, discussing the State of Premier and the exciting goals for 2017. Andy Collier, Premier’s Technology Consultant, spoke about Premier’s technological opportunities for the year. APRO’s Executive Director, Bill Keese, and Sandi Frye, Premier franchisee and APRO Board Member, presented Industry Awards to many Premier Dealers who have participated and made a difference in the Rent to Own industry.
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TRIB Group Executive Director Dennis Shields gets into the groove.
Rent to Own industry Vendors also attend The Premier Companies Convention. Vendors had the opportunity to provide an introduction to the Dealers followed by one-on-one meetings with them during the Vendor Show. The afternoon held a surprise for everyone. Drum Cafe presented a team building activity that was organized for all attendees. Everyone was amazed and excited with the music they were able to create as a team while beating their own drums to the same rhythm. The message proved was that when working together as a team the music is easy and beautiful, however if a piece is missing, it is more difficult to make the music whole. Waiting for Premier Convention attendees at the end of the day was a fabulous, exquisite dinner on the Key Largo beach organized by Larkin Mott, The Premier Companies Events Coordinator. A few rain showers could not stop The Premier Companies Family from celebrating the evening together. This magnificent setting included a reggae band providing entertainment and dance for the excited and energized group. The Premier Companies National Convention will continue through Wednesday, January 11th. Click here to view more photos of The Premier Companies 2017 National Convention. Contact: Nancy Price Director of Marketing The Premier Companies 5248 Olde Towne Rd Williamsburg, VA 23188
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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.