Rent-to-own News

Rent-to-own News - APRO golfers tee off convention in Louisville, results announced

July 19, 2010

APRO Golf Tournament first place team L to R: Doug Funk, Mike Goodin, Keith Selby, Kelly Ireland.

Some 92 golfers from across the rent-to-own spectrum -- dealers, vendors, employees and family members -- officially kicked off The Association of Progressive Rental Organizations' (APRO) 2010 Convention and Trade Show Monday in Louisville with the annual Tom Kitchens/Joe Eason Golf Tournament held at the scenic Fuzzy Zoeller's Covered Bridge Golf Club.

See full golf photo gallery here.

Hundreds of rent-to-own dealers are in Louisville for the APRO Convention and Buying Show July 19-22 -- the rent-to-own industry event of the year -- where outstanding industry achievements will be honored. The convention also features a healthy serving of RTO educational forums, roundtable discussions and networking events.

The 2010 Joe Eason/Tom Kitchens Golf Tournament results are based on the Peoria Net Scoring system, which included a play-off system to determine the winning teams.

First-place team (net score 68):
Doug Funk, RSSS
Mike Goodin, American Rental
Kelly Ireland, American Rental
Keith Selby, ClickFree

Second-place team (net score 68):
Dick Eichlin, STAR Rentals
Ernie Lewallen, UHR Rents
John Raffaelli, Capitol Counsel
Mark Windsor, National TV Sales and Rental

Third-place team (net score 69):
Robert Barnes, SEI/Aaron’s, dba Aaron’s Sales & Lease Ownership
Rita Haney, Protect-A-Bed
Mike Muth, Rent-A-Center
Charles Smithgall III, SEI/Aaron’s, dba Aaron’s Sales & Lease Ownership

Fourth-place team (net score 69):
Kelly Carrico, Rent One
Larry Carrico, Rent One
Sharon Carrico, Rent One
Steven Carrico, Rent One

Closest to the Pin:
Hole 3: Steven Carrico, Rent One
Hole 12: Brian Grow, Growby’s RTO

Longest Drive:
Men: Jason Ancheta, Lease Management Services
Women: Jamie Moore, AdPro Advertising

Thanks to Whirlpool for its sponsorship of the 2010 Golf Tournament.

The four day APRO Convention is highlighted by a robust buying show which opens Wednesday, and features close to 100 exhibiting companies across 151 booths showcasing the latest in consumer electronics, software, high tech asset management systems, furniture and appliances.

APRO President "Tiger" John Cleek will open the general session Wednesday morning and deliver his state of the industry address before industry-wide achievements are recognized including formal presentation of APRO's Customer and Employee of the Year Awards, APRO's Annual Education Foundation Scholarship.

APRO Board elections will also take place at the general session.

APRO's popular rental roundtable session kicks off Tuesday and this year offers three separate tracks to hone in on a variety of business-enhancing needs based on attendees’ management level and size of the company. Attendees will break into three groups -- store-level employees/managers, mid-level/multiple store managers and store owners/top-level managers. http://rtohq.org/04446apro-apros-rental-roundtable-three-ways-to-learn-in-louisville.html

See full APRO Convention details here.

About APRO
The Association of Progressive Rental Organizations is the official voice of the rent-to-own industry and the most accurate and trustworthy source of rent-to-own news in the industry. Founded in 1980, APRO is the national, nonprofit trade association advocating and representing the rent-to-own industry before the U.S. Congress, state legislatures, courts, media and the public.

For more information, visit www.rtohq.org.

2012 APRO Convention and Trade Show

July 24-26, Memphis, TN

Attendee Information

Exhibitor Information

Thank you APRO 2012 Sponsors

Watch RTOHQ Rent to Own videos on YouTube!

Featured APRO Photo:
From the TRIB Group 2010 Annual Convention and Buy Fair, March 28-March 31 Album
TRIB Group 2010 Annual Convention and Buy Fair, March 28-March 31
View All RTO Photos
in the RTOHQ.org gallery

RTOHQ: The Magazine
RTOHQ: The Magazine is the Association of Progressive Rental Organizations' award-winning rent-to-own industry magazine, and it's available here.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR DIGITAL RTOHQ: THE MAGAZINE

RTOHQ: The Magazine’s upgraded digital format

APRO's new, mobile-ready magazine is now available in addition to our print edition. The digital format provides the same informative content as our printed magazine, but also offers tools to make the reading experience more enriching. Access the table of contents page with one click or tap. Get additional information from advertisers by clicking on the links in their ads. The interface is easy to navigate and requires no special app—read our magazine on your computer, digital table or smartphone. Click here to access the digital version of RTOHQ: The Magazine March-April 2012.

A New Rent-to-Own Experience

by Neil Ferguson

Here’s the lowdown on APRO’s 2012 Convention and Trade Show, July 24-26 in Memphis. The RTO industry’s big event will offer many valuable experiences, including insights on how to turn your stores into “experiences”–the good kind for consumers

Who Is Your Competition?

by Bill Keese

In order to expand your customer base, you can learn a lot by observing your competitors. But first, you need to figure out just who they are. If you think your only competition is the rent-to-own store down the street, you’re not considering the bigger picture. APRO’s executive director offers a big-picture perspective.

A Review of Online Customer Complaints

by Ed Winn III

While rent-to-own companies have not cornered the market on negative reviews posted on consumer complaint websites, it’s no surprise that there are cyberspace beefs against RTO. APRO’s general counsel reviews some of them in search of a pattern and he considers appropriate response to online complaints.

Rent-to-Own Families, Part VIII

by Kristen Card

Our series of family-run rent-to-own businesses continues with profiles of the Homeiers in Kansas and two Texas-based sets of kindred colleagues, the Spangles and the Weisblatts.

Future issues of APRO's magazine will be available in this same new format. Click here to access past issues that are not yet archived in the new interface.

Association of Progressive Rental Organizations
1504 Robin Hood Trail
Austin, Texas 78703
800/204-2776, ext. 103
Fax 512/794-0097