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Association of Progressive Rental Organizations (APRO)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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  • Home
  • 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
    • Contact Us
    • Legal Hotline
JOIN APRO
  • Home
  • 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
    • Contact Us
    • Legal Hotline
  • Home
  • 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
    • Contact Us
    • Legal Hotline
JOIN APRO
25 events found.

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Today
  • November 2020

  • Sat 14
    November 14, 2020 - November 20, 2020

    Premier Training

    The Premier Companies Corporate Office 5510 FM 1765, Texas City, TX, United States
  • December 2020

  • Wed 16
    December 16, 2020 - December 17, 2020

    Premier Discovery Day/Orientation

    The Premier Companies Corporate Office 5510 FM 1765, Texas City, TX, United States
  • January 2021

  • Mon 11
    January 11, 2021 - January 14, 2021

    2021 Consumer Electronics Show

    Virtual
  • Tue 12
    January 12, 2021 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

    Virtual Roundtable: RTO Success in a Pandemic

    Virtual

    In this presentation, featured speakers include Doug Wrede, Vice President of Home Appliances at Nationwide Marketing Group, and moderator Enos Barger, Managing Partner at Castle Rental and Pawn in Rogers, Arkansas. The roundtable will discuss online vs. in-store sales efforts, digital marketing, coworker retention efforts, and inventory challenges. Wrede has more than 20 years of experience with multiple retail chains […]

  • Wed 13
    January 13, 2021 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

    Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 & Updates for PPP Round 2

    Virtual

    Kim Cardenas, CPA, tax manager and Mike Helton, CPA, tax shareholder at Rivero, Gordimer & Company P.A. will cover the recent stimulus bill signed into law regarding PPP Second Draw loans, rule changes, other miscellaneous tax provisions, and tax deductions associated with the SBA's Payroll Protection Program. Helton’s areas of concentration include tax preparation, planning and […]

  • March 2021

  • Tue 9
    March 9, 2021 - March 11, 2021

    Rent One Annual Meeting & Vendor Showcase

    Virtual
  • Sat 13
    March 13, 2021 - March 14, 2021

    The Premier Companies National Convention

  • Tue 16
    March 16, 2021 - March 18, 2021

    Nationwide RentDirect PrimeTime!

    Virtual
  • Mon 22
    March 22, 2021 - March 26, 2021

    TRIB Group Plugged In

    Virtual
  • Tue 23
    March 23, 2021 - March 25, 2021

    BrandSource Summit

    Virtual
  • Tue 30
    March 30, 2021 @ 11:00 am - 12:30 pm

    APRO Webinar | Employment Guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor

    Virtual

    Hear directly from Brenda Hernandez, a Community Outreach and Resource Planning Specialist with the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor, about frequently asked compliance questions and misconceptions about policies and enforcement. Topics will include: Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) - topics such as overtime, minimum wage, youth employment, and recordkeeping Family Medical […]

  • April 2021

  • Sun 11
    April 11, 2021 - April 15, 2021

    2021 Winter Las Vegas Market

    Las Vegas, NV Las Vegas, NV, United States
  • Wed 28
    April 28, 2021

    2021 APRO Virtual Legislative Conference

    Virtual

    Join us for the 2021 APRO Virtual Legislative Conference on Wednesday, April 28, 2021. TOPICS Updates on state and federal legislative issues, Preparation for virtual advocacy, and Innovative ways to effectively continue building legislative relationships. Our industry’s protection is as important as ever, while building and sustaining our political relationships is harder than ever. This […]

  • June 2021

  • Sat 5
    June 5, 2021 - June 9, 2021

    2021 Spring High Point Furniture Market

    High Point Market Authority 164 South Main Street, Suite 700, High Point, NC, United States
  • Fri 18
    June 18, 2021 - June 19, 2021

    Full-O-Pep Annual Trade Expo and Golf Tournament

    Nashville, Indiana Nashville, IN, United States
  • August 2021

  • Sun 15
    August 15, 2021 - August 18, 2021

    Nationwide PrimeTime!

    Nashville, TN Nashville, TN, United States

    PrimeTime will be held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, Nashville, Tennessee.

  • Sun 22
    August 22, 2021

    The Premier Companies Franchise Retreat

    Tampa, Florida Tampa, FL, United States
  • Mon 23
    August 23, 2021 - August 25, 2021

    RTO World 2021: The National Rent-To-Own Convention and Tradeshow

    Tampa, Florida Tampa, FL, United States

    RTO World 2021, the national rent-to-own convention and tradeshow, is expected to occur August 23 - 25, 2021 at the Tampa Convention Center.

  • Tue 24
    August 24, 2021 @ 7:30 am - 8:30 am

    Arkansas Rental Dealers Association Meeting

  • Tue 24
    August 24, 2021 @ 7:30 am - 8:30 am

    Kentucky Rental Dealers Association Meeting

  • September 2021

  • Tue 14
    September 14, 2021 - September 15, 2021

    Midwest Training Expo

    Hosted by the Ohio Rental Dealers Association, the Midwest Training Expo will take place at the Belterra Casino Resort in Florence, Indiana.

  • October 2021

  • Tue 5
    October 5, 2021 - October 7, 2021

    Missouri Rental Dealers Association Heartland of America Trade Show and Seminar

    Lake Ozark, Missouri Lake Ozark, MO, United States
  • Wed 13
    October 13, 2021 - October 14, 2021

    2021 Fall Board Meeting

  • Thu 14
    October 14, 2021

    2021 INRDA Annual Meeting

    Omaha, Nebraska Omaha, NE, United States

    The meeting will take place at the Embassy Suites-La Vista in Omaha, Nebraska.

  • Tue 26
    October 26, 2021 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

    Essential Cybersecurity Practices: Ensuring Your Business is Safe from Attacks Webinar

    Virtual

    Mark Kirby, a Cybersecurity Advisor for the CISA, will walk participants through some common IT security vulnerabilities and provide actionable guidance you can use to protect your business. Kirby, a retired Air Force veteran, has led engineering teams and projects to expand cyber access and identify single points of failure worldwide. The presentation will be followed by […]

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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.