Association of Progressive Rental Organizations
JOIN APRO
JOIN APRO

Illinois Rental Dealers Association (IRDA) hits Capitol Hill – meets with U.S. House members and senators

IL 13 Congressman Rodney Davis, IL 18 Darin LaHood
IL 13 Congressman Rodney Davis, IL 18 Darin LaHood, Trent Agin, Larry Carrico, Casey Pristou, Brent Gregurek and David Keen.
Rent One’s, Larry Carrico, Trent Agin and David Keen, and Arona Corporation’s Brent Gregorek, joined IRDA President, Casey Pristou, in meeting with members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation to discuss rent-to-own, provide an update on the industry in Illinois and highlight key issues important to its dealers, customers and business partners.  The effort was part of APRO’s 2017 Dave Egan Legislative Conference held February 7th – 9th. The impact of RTO in Illinois is significant.  Illinois is home to more than 220 rent-to-own stores, serves more than 120,000 customers each month and employs more than 1,300 statewide. Moreover, the RTO industry is undergoing a number of dramatic changes which present intriguing growth opportunities for the small business owners who operate most of the stores in Illinois.  The IRDA shared its vision of how it can grow the industry in the years ahead and how congress may be able to help foster this growth.
IL 10 Congressman Brad Schneider
Casey Pristou, David Keen, Larry Carrico, IL 10 Congressman Brad Schneider, Trent Agin and Brent Gregurek.
Collectively the IRDA met with the offices of both senators and with 16 of the 18 congressional districts.  “The legislative conference this year was one of the best we have ever had,” commented David Keen.  “These meetings were a great follow-up to the very successful grassroots outreach the IRDA conducted in 2016 during which members of congress visited rent-to-own stores operating in their home districts,” observed Larry Carrico.   A highlight of this year’s conference was the open house breakfast the IRDA hosted at Tortilla Coast.  “D.C. is especially busy and quite charged-up this year.  Legislators’ schedules are jam-packed.  The breakfast was an efficient way for some members to meet with us,” related Casey Pristou.  “The breakfast enabled us to have serious discussions with key members of congress and their staff that would have otherwise been impossible,” Pristou added. Click here to see more photos of APRO’s 2017 Dave Egan Legislative Conference. About IRDA The Illinois Rental Dealers Association (IRDA) works closely with the Association of Progressive Rental Organizations (APRO) to provide membership and the general public with the latest information regarding legislative initiatives concerning the rent-to-own industry. The IRDA works to ensure a vital future for its industry through networking, education, political outreach and legislative vigilance.

Upcoming Events

View Calendar



Popular Resources

Sign up for APRO Today

Copyright © · All Rights Reserved · APRO Privacy Policy · APRO Antitrust Policy

Facebook Linkedin Twitter Youtube
Copyright © · All Rights Reserved · APRO Privacy Policy
Facebook Twitter Youtube Flickr

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.