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Association of Progressive Rental Organizations (APRO)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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  • About
    • About APRO
    • APRO Committees
    • Board & Staff
    • Vendor Advisory Committee
    • State Associations & Leadership
  • Membership
    • Join APRO
    • Membership Benefits
    • Code of Ethics
    • Engagement Opportunities
    • Hall of Honor
    • Member Directory
    • Member Login
  • Advocacy
    • Advocacy Resource Hub
    • Legislative Conference
    • Legislative Meeting Debrief Form
  • Events
    • Industry Events
    • Webinars
    • Legislative Conference
    • RTO World
    • Share Your Events
  • Foundation
    • About the Foundation
    • RTO Employees Disaster Relief Fund
    • APRO Scholarship Fund
  • News
    • Industry News
    • Community Outreach
    • RTOHQ: The Magazine
    • APRO Today E-newsletter
    • Share Your Member News
  • Resources
    • RTO Legends Take the Mic
    • The RTO Show Podcast – Listen Here!
    • The RTO Insight Review Blog
    • The Rent-to-Own Revolution Book
    • Resource Hubs
      • Advocacy Resource Hub
      • AI Resource Hub
      • Business Resource Hub
      • Cybersecurity Hub
      • Educational Resources
      • Legal Resource Hub
    • Charles’ Monthly Health Tip
    • LEAP Portal
    • Legal Hotline
    • Rent-to-Own Industry Health Summary
  • Contact
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    • Legal Hotline
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  • Home
  • About
    • About APRO
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    • Board & Staff
    • Vendor Advisory Committee
    • State Associations & Leadership
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  • Foundation
    • About the Foundation
    • RTO Employees Disaster Relief Fund
    • APRO Scholarship Fund
  • News
    • Industry News
    • Community Outreach
    • RTOHQ: The Magazine
    • APRO Today E-newsletter
    • Share Your Member News
  • Resources
    • RTO Legends Take the Mic
    • The RTO Show Podcast – Listen Here!
    • The RTO Insight Review Blog
    • The Rent-to-Own Revolution Book
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      • Advocacy Resource Hub
      • AI Resource Hub
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      • Cybersecurity Hub
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    • Rent-to-Own Industry Health Summary
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  • Home
  • About
    • About APRO
    • APRO Committees
    • Board & Staff
    • Vendor Advisory Committee
    • State Associations & Leadership
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    • Share Your Member News
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    • The RTO Show Podcast – Listen Here!
    • The RTO Insight Review Blog
    • The Rent-to-Own Revolution Book
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      • Advocacy Resource Hub
      • AI Resource Hub
      • Business Resource Hub
      • Cybersecurity Hub
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    • LEAP Portal
    • Legal Hotline
    • Rent-to-Own Industry Health Summary
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    • Contact Us
    • Legal Hotline
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17 events found.

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Today
  • January 2016

  • Sun 31
    January 31, 2016 - February 2, 2016

    Rent-A-Center Franchising International 2016 Convention

    Embassy Suites 7600 John Q Hammons Dr, Frisco, TX, United States

    For more information, contact Cristal Cable at (972) 403-4956.

  • February 2016

  • Tue 16
    February 16, 2016

    The Premier Companies Discovery Day

    The Premier Companies Corporate Office 5510 FM 1765, Texas City, TX, United States

    For more information, contact Trooper Earle at (757) 645-0884.

  • Thu 25
    February 25, 2016 - February 28, 2016

    Tupelo Furniture Market – Spring 2016

    Tupelo Furniture Market Tupelo, MS, United States

    For more information, visit the Tupelo Furniture Market website.

  • Sat 27
    February 27, 2016 - March 2, 2016

    TRIB Group/BrandSource the Summit & Expo

    Orlando World Center Marriott 8701 World Center Drive, Orlando, FL, United States

    For more information, contact Dennis Shields at (770) 451-4302, ext. 1#

  • Sun 28
    February 28, 2016

    The Premier Companies Marketing Workshop

    Orlando World Center Marriott 8701 World Center Drive, Orlando, FL, United States

    For more information, contact Trooper Earle at (757) 645-0884.

  • March 2016

  • Sun 13
    March 13, 2016 - March 16, 2016

    RentDirect Nationwide PrimeTime!

    Orlando Convention Center Orlando, FL, United States

    For more information, contact James MacAlpine at (336) 714-8802.

  • Tue 22
    March 22, 2016

    The Premier Companies Discovery Day

    The Premier Companies Corporate Office 5510 FM 1765, Texas City, TX, United States

    For more information, contact Trooper Earle at (757) 645-0884.

  • April 2016

  • Thu 7
    April 7, 2016

    Missouri Rental Dealers Association Annual Meeting

    Hampton Inn Columbia, MO, United States
  • Tue 12
    April 12, 2016

    The Premier Companies Discovery Day

    The Premier Companies Corporate Office 5510 FM 1765, Texas City, TX, United States
  • Sat 16
    April 16, 2016 - April 21, 2016

    High Point Furniture Market Spring 2016

    High Point Market Authority 164 South Main Street, Suite 700, High Point, NC, United States
  • Thu 21
    April 21, 2016

    Ohio Rental Dealers Association Spring Meeting

    Crowne Plaza Columbus North 6500 Doubletree Avenue, Columbus, OH, United States
  • Tue 26
    April 26, 2016

    Pennsylvania Association of Rental Dealers Annual Meeting

    Harrisburg Hilton Hotel One North Second Street, Harrisburg, PA, United States
  • Tue 26
    April 26, 2016 - April 27, 2016

    Kansas Rental Dealers Association 2016 Annual Meeting & Exhibits

    Holiday Inn East 549 South Rock Road, Wichita, KS, United States
  • May 2016

  • Tue 10
    May 10, 2016 - May 12, 2016

    APRO 2016 National Convention & Tradeshow

    Cincinnati Marriott at RiverCenter 10 West RiverCenter Boulevard, Covington, KY, United States
  • Tue 24
    May 24, 2016

    The Premier Companies Discovery Day

    The Premier Companies Corporate Office 5510 FM 1765, Texas City, TX, United States
  • June 2016

  • Tue 21
    June 21, 2016 - June 23, 2016

    Missouri Rental Dealers Association Trade Show & Product Training

    The Lodge of Four Seasons Resort 315 Four Seasons Drive, Lake Ozark, MO, United States
  • July 2016

  • Sun 31
    July 31, 2016 - August 4, 2016

    Las Vegas Market Summer 2016

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