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LEAP Session 8

LEAP Program

This event is from 2:00pm to 3:00pm on July 8, 2025.

2025 Midwest Expo

Cherry Valley Resort 2299 Cherry Valley Rd SE, Newark, OH, United States

The 2025 Midwest RTO Training Expo, hosted by the Ohio Rental Dealers Association, is a long-standing RTO event where employees receive top-shelf training on cutting-edge products directly from the vendors and manufacturers. We are back and ready to train and network at one of the best regional RTO tradeshows in America! Join us on September […]

2025 National Shed Rental Association Annual Conference

Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville, TN, United States

Join the National Shed Rental Association for another year of getting together to encourage each other in the shed rent-to-own industry! The 2025 NSRA Conference will be held in Knoxville, Tennessee on September 23, 2025. The NSRA Conference is a stand-alone event, and will take place the day before the Shed Builder Expo. Click here […]

2025 Impact RTO Optimize Together Conference

St. Petersburg Marriot Clearwater 12600 Roosevelt Blvd N, St. Petersburg, FL, United States

Impact RTO Holdings is celebrating a decade of growth and success with their first-ever all-company conference. The event will bring together store managers, regional leaders, and the home office team for a program focused on education, connection, and celebration. Highlights include a welcome dinner and awards ceremony, breakout sessions, and a special dinner cruise. Tuesday, […]

3rd Annual Best of RTO World 2025 Webinar

APRO Webinar

Back by popular demand, here’s your chance to catch some of the hottest sessions from RTO World 2025! You’ll get knowledge drops from three of the most popular sessions and experience a knowledge flashback like no other. Get pumped and get registered for this beloved tradition! This year’s encore lineup features: Will Jackson, RNR Tire […]

Inside a Live Phishing Attack

APRO Webinar

Speaker: Dave Arnold, e-Coast Systems Phishing attacks are more sophisticated than ever – hackers now target both passwords and multi-factor authentication (MFA) tokens. In this eye-opening session, e-Coast Systems Founder Dave Arnold will demonstrate a live phishing attack and reveal how criminals trick users into handing over critical login credentials. You’ll also learn practical strategies […]

LEAP Session 9: Own It! Building a Culture of Accountability & Pride

LEAP Program

Welcome to LEAP, an exciting leadership development program brought to you by APRO and TRIB Group. LEAP is designed to cultivate leadership skills within the RTO industry. Each month, we’ll explore a new leadership topic through live Zoom sessions or in-person at Meeting of the Minds and RTO World. This program is open to both current and aspiring […]

2025 Iowa Nebraska Rental Dealer Association (INRDA) Annual Meeting

Embassy Suites by Hilton Omaha La Vista Hotel & Conference Center 12520 Westport Pkwy, La Vista, NE, United States

The Annual Meeting for the Iowa-Nebraska Rental Dealers Association will be held on Thursday, October 16, 2025, beginning at 9:00 AM! Make plans to attend this important gathering of Iowa and Nebraska Rental Dealers, which will be held at The Embassy Suites Omaha - La Vista Hotel & Conference Center, located at 12520 Westport Parkway, La Vista, NE 68128. Important – Please RSVP for you and […]

2025 APRO Fall Board Meeting

Hilton West Palm Beach 600 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach, FL, United States

This event is all day starting on October 22 and ending on October 23, 2025.

2025 Highpoint Furniture Market – Fall

High Point Market Authority 164 South Main Street, Suite 700, High Point, NC, United States

High Point Market is the ultimate destination for all things design, offering endless product options and unexpected moments of joy. It’s not just about products, but also about the experience, with exciting events and opportunities that spark inspiration. Market week feels like a homecoming for industry professionals, making it easy to connect and build relationships. […]

LEAP Session 10

LEAP Program

Welcome to LEAP, an exciting leadership development program brought to you by APRO and TRIB Group. LEAP is designed to cultivate leadership skills within the RTO industry. Each month, we’ll explore a new leadership topic through live Zoom sessions or in-person at Meeting of the Minds and RTO World. This program is open to both current and aspiring […]

LEAP Session 11

LEAP Program

Welcome to LEAP, an exciting leadership development program brought to you by APRO and TRIB Group. LEAP is designed to cultivate leadership skills within the RTO industry. Each month, we’ll explore a new leadership topic through live Zoom sessions or in-person at Meeting of the Minds and RTO World. This program is open to both current and aspiring […]

2026 The Premier Companies National Convention

Plaza San Antonio Hotel & Spa 555 S. Alamo St., San Antonio, TX, United States

We’re excited to invite you back to The Premier Companies' Annual Convention, and to a new venue, in San Antonio on January 10-11! It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase your products and services to our franchisees, partners, and attendees. Our Vendor Show is always a highlight, and we’d love for you to join us again […]

2026 The Premier Companies Celebration

Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach Golf & Spa Resort Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

The Premier Companies Celebration is an exclusive post-convention getaway designed for franchisees and corporate staff to come together in a stunning tropical setting and honor the successes of 2025. Held January 12–15, 2026, at the luxurious Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, this special gathering offers the perfect blend of celebration, connection, […]

2026 Las Vegas Winter Market

Las Vegas Furniture Market 475 S. Grand Central Pkwy, Suite 1615, Las Vegas, NV, United States

Las Vegas Market is the premier furniture, home decor, and gift trade show on the West Coast, hosted at the World Market Center in Las Vegas. The event offers an extensive range of products from global exhibitors and provides industry professionals with opportunities to network, explore new trends, and discover the latest innovations in the […]

2026 RNR Franchise Conference

Disney's Coronado Springs Resort 1001 W Buena Vista Dr, Lake Buena Vista, FL, United States

The 2026 RNR Franchise Conference will be held in Orlando, FL at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort. Owners, Operators, Executive Team Members, and Managers will gather to share ideas, participate in breakout sessions, and have a good time.  Please reach out to Tracy Cintron for more information.

2026 TRIB Group Meeting of the Minds

Paris Las Vegas 3655 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV, United States

Meeting of the Minds brings together nearly 100 of the largest Rent to Own Industry manufacturers & distributors along with hundreds of independent and franchisee store owners and operators for entertaining experiences, invaluable networking and deeply-discounted show special buying opportunities. With registration incentives, show-special pricing and bonus buy purchase vouchers, TRIB Group members find unmatched […]

2026 AVB BrandSource Summit

Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center 2800 Opryland Drive, Nashville, TN, United States

The AVB BrandSource Annual Summit is a key event for appliance, electronics, and home furnishings retailers, featuring insightful presentations, expert-led sessions, networking opportunities, and vendor expos. It helps industry professionals stay ahead of trends and grow their businesses. The Summit fosters innovation and offers tools for retail success.

2026 Nationwide PrimeTime – Spring

Broward County Convention Center 1950 Eisenhower Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States

Hosted for over 30 years and more than 60 events, PrimeTime, Nationwide Marketing Group's biannual Member conference and tradeshow, is an event for Independent retailers looking to improve their results quickly. Featuring more than 85 hours of forward-thinking education, millions in Cash Back for product purchases at the show, networking and roundtables with peers from […]

2026 APRO Legislative Conference

The Royal Sonesta Washington 20 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC, United States

Each spring, APRO members from across the country head to Washington, D.C., to share the rent-to-own story with federal lawmakers during the APRO Legislative Conference. This three-day experience brings together RTO professionals from across the country to meet face-to-face with U.S. senators, representatives, and legislative staff. It’s a chance to tell your RTO story and […]

2026 Rent One & RNR Midwest Annual Meeting

Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina 1881 SE 17th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States

This event is all day starting on April 17 and ending on April 19, 2026.

2026 Highpoint Furniture Market – Spring

High Point Market Authority 164 South Main Street, Suite 700, High Point, NC, United States

High Point Market is the ultimate destination for all things design, offering endless product options and unexpected moments of joy. It’s not just about products, but also about the experience, with exciting events and opportunities that spark inspiration. Market week feels like a homecoming for industry professionals, making it easy to connect and build relationships. […]

2026 TRIB Retreat

Southernmost Beach Resort 1319 Duval St, Key West, FL, United States

Relax resort-side on white sand beaches or one of many heated pools. Set out on a Key West adventure along America's only living reef system. Discover the heart of this unique island paradise from Historic Old Town... there are plenty of things to do here and miles to explore! Place your deposit today to reserve […]

2026 Heartland of America Regional Tradeshow

The Lodge of Four Seasons 315 Four Seasons Drive, Lake Ozark, MO, United States

The annual Heartland of America Tradeshow and Seminar, hosted by the Missouri Rental Dealers Association (MRDA), brings together rent-to-own professionals from across the region for a day of networking, educational seminars, and industry insights. Attendees enjoy a tradeshow featuring key vendors and a variety of sessions designed to enhance business growth and collaboration within the […]

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.