Association of Professional Rental Organizations (APRO)
TRDA would like to invite you to attend our 2026 annual Membership Meeting, June 17-18, 2026, at the Courtyard Marriot Nashville Downtown. The meeting will be interesting, informative, and well […]
Date: June 24, 2026 Location: Harrisburg Hilton Hotel | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania PARD will host its annual meeting on June 24, 2026, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM at the Harrisburg Hilton […]
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 […]
The Full-O-Pep Annual Expo brings together store managers, vendors, and employees for a weekend of networking, team-building, and celebration. Held in Nashville, Indiana, the event features an expo, as well […]
The VersiRent User Conference enables attendees to explore new capabilities you may not even realize are available in VersiRent. Plus check out new, exciting classes focused on AI and sales […]
Topic: Delivery & Installation Safety: Protecting Your Team, Your Customers, and Your Bottom Line Delivery and installation teams are on the front lines of the rent-to-own experience – navigating tight […]
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 […]
The AVB BrandSource Annual Convention is a premier event for appliance, electronics, and home furnishings retailers. It offers valuable networking, educational sessions, product showcases, and innovative retail solutions to help […]
The annual Buddy’s Leadership Conference is a premier gathering where leaders from across the Buddy’s Home Furnishings network come together to share insights, collaborate, and explore new ways to make […]
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 […]
Get ready for the ultimate rent-to-own experience at RTO World 2026, co-hosted by APRO and TRIB Group! From August 24-27, 2026, in West Palm Beach, Florida, this is your chance […]
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 […]
The 2026 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 […]
Title: 4th Annual Best of RTO World Webinar Back by popular demand, here’s your chance to catch some of the hottest sessions from RTO World 2026! You’ll get knowledge drops […]
Join the National Shed Rental Association for another year of getting together to encourage each other in the shed rent-to-own industry! The 2026 NSRA Conference will be held in Knoxville, […]
The Annual Meeting for the Iowa-Nebraska Rental Dealers Association will be held on Tuesday, September 22, 2025, beginning at 9:00 AM! Important – Please RSVP for you and your team members as soon as possible to Brian […]
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 […]
Title: Cyber Insurance Demystified: What You Need Before the Breach October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month – the perfect time to move beyond firewalls and phishing tests and talk about the […]
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, […]
This event is all day starting on October 22 and ending on October 23, 2025.
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 […]
Title: The Right Way, Every Day: Real-World Scenarios & Decisions Join this interactive, hands-on session that will explore real-world scenarios RTO professionals face every day, from fair customer treatment to […]
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 […]
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.
