Association of Professional Rental Organizations (APRO)
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AI Resource Hub

Welcome to the AI Resource Hub, your go-to destination for learning how artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance your rent-to-own business. This members-only resource is designed to help business owners, managers, and store-level employees leverage AI to enhance efficiency, foster customer engagement, and drive business growth. Explore articles, webinars, podcasts, cheat sheets, and tools to stay ahead in the evolving RTO industry. New resources will be added regularly, so check back often!

Newly Released: APRO AI Toolkit

Stay up to date with the latest AI resources added to the hub. This section highlights recently published content and previews upcoming resources to keep you informed about what’s next.

APRO AI Readiness Assessment

AI Readiness Assessment:
Practical Self-Assessment for RTO Businesses

APRO AI Implementation Playbook

AI Implementation Playbook
Practical Guidance for Responsible AI Adoption

APRO GEO Toolkit - Vendor Companion Guide

AI Best Practices:
Responsible AI Use in
Rent-to-Own

APRO GEO Toolkit - Vendor Companion Guide

White Paper: AI in RTO –
An Industry Framework for Responsible Innovation

APRO GEO Toolkit

As consumers increasingly rely on AI-generated answers, clear and consistent language matters more than ever. The APRO GEO Toolkit equips dealers and vendors with actionable guidance to protect the definition of rent-to-own, strengthen visibility, and reduce misclassification risk.

Click on a resource to view the PDF.

APRO GEO Toolkit

APRO GEO Toolkit

APRO GEO Field Guide for Dealers

APRO GEO Field Guide
for Dealers

APRO GEO Toolkit - Vendor Companion Guide

APRO GEO Toolkit -
Vendor Companion Guide

Artificial Intelligence Articles

View More Articles

AI Webinars & Podcasts

Playlist

4 Videos
Overview
Overview

Release Date: March 19, 2026

Presented By: Charles Smitherman, PhD, JD, MSt, CAE

Defining RTO in an AI-Driven World

Artificial intelligence is already shaping how consumers, journalists, and policymakers understand rent-to-own – and how individual dealers are discovered, described, or overlooked. This webinar is not about learning how to use AI tools. It is about understanding how AI systems form answers today, why definition and consistency matter more than ever, and how rent-to-own businesses can influence what those systems retrieve and repeat.

Drawing on The RTO Revolution and APRO’s soon-to-be-released GEO Toolkit, this session explains the real risk facing the industry in an AI-driven information environment: not declining demand, but losing control of how rent-to-own is defined. When AI systems misclassify RTO, customers never see it as an option – and policymakers start from the wrong assumptions.

The webinar will walk through the Four Core Truths of rent-to-own, explain how dealer websites, reviews, listings, and everyday language shape AI understanding, and outline practical steps dealers and vendors can take to protect the industry narrative while improving their own local visibility and trust. The session will give attendees a chance to ask real-world questions about AI, GEO, and what this shift means for your business.

Resources:

The Rent-to-Own Revolution: The Definitive Industry History of Advocacy and Consumer Access is now available:

Playlist

11 Videos
Overview
Overview

Release Date: May 25, 2026

Should AI Be Your Next Hire?

RTO Show Podcast

In this episode of the RTO Show, Vraj Parikh, co-founder of Atlog.AI, shares how his team is bringing AI-powered automation to the rent-to-own industry. He discusses Atlog’s rapid growth since launching, its work with companies including RNR Tire Express, Hometown, and UOwn Leasing, and how AI is being used to handle collections, inbound calls, appointment scheduling, customer texting, payments, and multilingual communication. Vraj explains the importance of secure integrations with rent-to-own software, compliance with industry regulations, and designing AI that complements employees rather than replaces them. The conversation also explores how AI can improve collections, increase operational efficiency, reduce labor costs, and help dealers grow their customer base while maintaining the personal relationships that define the rent-to-own business.

Follow the RTO Show Podcast on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and reach out with questions at pete@theRTOshowpodcast.com.

Disclaimer: The information contained on this website is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The information and services are general and educational in nature, may not reflect all recent legal developments, and may not apply to the specific facts and circumstances of individual transactions and cases. The information and services on this website are not intended to and shall not be used as legal advice or as the basis of an attorney-client relationship. Articles and other publications on this website are current as of their date of publication and do not necessarily reflect the present law or regulations. The materials on this website are protected by copyright and trademark laws, are intended for personal use only, and may not be reproduced, distributed, modified, stored or posted in any form without written permission. You should consult with legal counsel before acting on any of the information and services on this website.

Upcoming Events

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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.