Looking for a little inspiration for your social media in 2024? Join us and see what others are doing to jazz up their social media and learn a few hacks on making social media creation easier, too. This will be a fun, quick, and informative webinar designed to get your creative juices flowing!
By popular demand, we're happy to provide this refresher webinar on safe collections and marketing practices on February 29 at 1:00 pm CST. Join Zachary Miller from Burr Forman and Michael Goodman from Hudson Cook as they share the latest and greatest on proper collections and ways to market and communicate with customers safely -- […]
Join us for an eye-opening webinar where we'll teach your team the basics of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This webinar is designed for AI newbies who haven’t had a chance to catch up with this new technology that is changing the way we work as we speak! Hear from Bruce Ellis, the Executive Director of the […]
Join us for an enlightening webinar where we'll dive into the core principles of effective leadership across multiple units in the Rent to Own (RTO) sector. This webinar is perfect for those who haven't yet had the opportunity to explore this crucial aspect of management in a way that’s straightforward and impactful! Hear from Chris […]
Date: June 25, 2024 Location: Harrisburg Hilton Hotel | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania PARD will host its annual meeting on June 25, 2024, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM at the Harrisburg Hilton Hotel. The meeting will feature guest speakers, PARD elections, and lots of networking. If you’re interested in attending, please email Sandi Frye.
Date: June 25-26, 2024 Location: Courtyard Marriott Nashville Downtown | Nashville, Tennessee TRDA cordially invites you to join its Annual Membership Meeting on June 25-26, 2024 at the Courtyard Marriott Nashville Downtown. The meeting will be fun and informative, featuring popular speakers and industry vendors eager to share current products and trends. To attend, email […]
Date: July 23-24, 2024 Location: Hillside, IL TRIB Group is excited to offer their members a chance to visit the Darwill Production Center for their Think Tank. This unique opportunity to preview Darwill's production center will shed new light on their services and the complexities of print production. The deadline to register is July 14, […]
Date: July 28 - August 1, 2024 Location: The EXPO at World Market Center | Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas Market offers buyers, designers and exhibitors an efficient, effective and compelling market experience. Located on a world-class, state-of-the-art campus, LVMKT provides thousands of cross-category furniture, gift and home decor resources, as well as access to […]
Date: August 6-8, 2024 Location: Loews Universal Resorts | Orlando, Florida Get ready for the ultimate rent-to-own experience at RTO World 2024, co-hosted by APRO and TRIB Group! From August 6-8, 2024, in sunny Orlando, Florida, this is your chance to join the biggest event of the year. Connect with industry leaders, explore new opportunities, and be part of the excitement. […]
Date: August 11-14, 2024 Location: Venetian Convention and Expo Center | Las Vegas, Nevada Nationwide Marketing Group has hosted their biannual Member conference and tradeshow for over 30 years and more than 60 events. This event features more than 85 hours of forward-thinking education, millions in cash back for product purchases at the show, networking […]
Date: August 20-21, 2024 Location: Loews Universal Resorts | Orlando, Florida
Date: August 25-28, 2024 Location: Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center | Dallas, TX Learn More and Register
Join us for INRDA's highly anticipated Annual Meeting on September 12, 2024, 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM, followed by lunch. The meeting will feature insightful discussions with Iowa- and Nebraska-based lobbying firms, as well as wisdom from distinguished speakers. To attend, email Brian Luksetich.
The 2024 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 […]
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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!
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!).
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.
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.
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.
