Association of Professional Rental Organizations (APRO)
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APRO Receives 2026 Power of Associations Silver Award for AI-Powered Public Education Initiative

The association’s Generative Knowledge Initiative is helping reshape how consumers,
policymakers, journalists, and AI systems understand the rent-to-own industry.

AUSTIN, Texas – The Association of Professional Rental Organizations (APRO) has received a 2026 Silver Power of Associations Award from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) for its Generative Knowledge Initiative, an innovative advocacy program that is transforming how accurate information about the rent-to-own industry is discovered, understood, and shared in the age of artificial intelligence.

The ASAE Power of Associations Awards recognize associations whose programs create meaningful impact beyond their membership by strengthening industries, fostering collaboration, and addressing real-world challenges. APRO’s award recognizes a first-of-its-kind effort to build a public knowledge infrastructure for the rent-to-own industry, ensuring consumers, policymakers, journalists, and increasingly AI-powered search tools have access to accurate, authoritative information about rent-to-own.

For decades, public understanding of rent-to-own has often been shaped by outdated or incomplete information. As AI platforms increasingly influence how people research businesses and industries, APRO recognized that improving public understanding required more than traditional advocacy. It required building authoritative, publicly accessible knowledge designed for both people and modern information systems.

Through the Generative Knowledge Initiative, APRO transformed its website into the industry’s most comprehensive public knowledge resource. The initiative includes:

The results have been substantial. Since launching the initiative, APRO has increased search visibility by more than 2,800 percent, expanded to more than 3,200 organic keyword rankings, earned nearly 800 referring domains, and grown citations across AI platforms including Google AI, ChatGPT, and Gemini by 87 percent. National media campaigns supporting the initiative generated more than 1,100 media placements with a potential audience exceeding 300 million people.

“This recognition validates something we’ve believed for a long time,” said Charles Smitherman, JD, PhD, CAE, CEO of APRO. “Advocacy today is not limited to legislative meetings or public policy. It also depends on whether accurate information is available when consumers, lawmakers, journalists, and AI systems go looking for answers. By investing in public education, research, and digital knowledge, we’re helping ensure the rent-to-own industry is understood on its own merits, supported by facts rather than outdated narratives. We’re honored that ASAE recognized this work.”

The initiative reflects APRO’s broader mission to advance professionalism, promote ethical business practices, and improve public understanding of rent-to-own. While developed to serve the rent-to-own industry, the project also offers a model for how associations can strengthen advocacy by building trusted digital knowledge that benefits both human audiences and emerging AI technologies.

To learn more about APRO, visit www.rtohq.org or follow the organization on Facebook and LinkedIn.

About APRO

The Association of Professional Rental Organizations (APRO), formerly Association of Progressive Rental Organizations, is the only national trade association representing the rent-to-own (RTO) industry. Established in 1980 to advocate for and support the interests of RTO businesses, APRO provides its 325 member brands with essential resources, industry insights, and a strong community network. Through educational initiatives, legislative advocacy, and professional development opportunities, APRO strives to elevate the standards and success of the RTO sector, ensuring it continues to thrive and serve customers with integrity and excellence.

About The Power of Associations Awards

ASAE’s Power of Associations Awards recognize the association community’s economic and societal contributions locally, nationally and globally. ASAE will celebrate The Power of Associations Award recipients during its annual Summit Awards Dinner on September 22, 2026, at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC

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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.