Association of Progressive Rental Organizations

RTO World™ | Registration

Early Bird Rates Offered Through July 6, 2025

Don’t miss out on the best price for RTO World 2025! Register by July 6th to take advantage of our Early Bird pricing and save $100! Plus, book your stay in our discounted hotel block by July 14th for even more savings. Secure your spot today!

Register for the RTO World™ Experience!

Join us in Omaha and immerse yourself in all things rent-to-own!

Step 1: Book Hotel in RTO World Hotel Block

The RTO World 2025 room blocks are open through July 14, 2025.

Book your Hotel Room in the RTO World Hotel block at the Hilton Omaha, to receive the discounted in-block registration rate. Choose “Attendee” from the “Select attendee type” drop-down; you do not need to enter an access code. A deposit equal to one (1) night’s stay is required to hold each reservation. 

Step 2: Register for RTO World

Once you have your hotel reservation secured, click below to register for the RTO World.

You will need your hotel confirmation number to register at a discounted rate.

Consent to Use of Photographic Images

Registration and attendance at, or participation in, RTO World meetings and other activities constitutes an agreement by the registrant to the use and distribution of the registrant’s or attendees’ image or voice in photographs, videotapes, electronic reproductions, and audiotapes of such events and activities by APRO and other third parties, including but not limited to the venue, the host city, and the host CVB.

Registration Cancellation, Refund, and Substitution Policy

Cancellation requests must be emailed to info@rtohq.org. A cancellation fee of $99 will be charged for any cancellation made beginning July 7, 2025. Refunds will not be issued for requests received after July 28, 2025, including no-shows. Substitutions are gladly accepted at any time. Badge sharing, splitting, and reprints are strictly prohibited.

Hotel Cancellations

If you need to cancel your hotel reservation, contact the hotel directly at least 3 days prior to arrival to avoid being charged one night’s room rate plus tax. You can cancel or adjust your reservations by following the link in your confirmation email, logging into your hotel rewards account, or by calling the hotel.

Event Cancellation or Postponement

RTO World reserves the exclusive right to modify, postpone, reschedule, or cancel programs for any reason, including but not limited to emergencies, inclement weather, or other ‘acts of God’. If an event is cancelled, every attempt will be made to reschedule, and registration fees will be applied to the rescheduled event date. Any travel, lodging, or incidental expenses incurred related to a canceled event cannot be refunded under any circumstances. If a canceled event cannot be rescheduled, RTO World will determine an equitable basis for the refund of a portion or all of the registration fees, after due consideration of circumstances and expenditures.

For more information about RTO World this year, please contact us at info@rtohq.org.

Thank You, RTO World 2025 Sponsors!

Upcoming Events




Mike Lewis

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.