What is APRO?

What is APRO? - APRO Vendor Advisory Committee

The APRO Vendor Advisory Committee serves a critical function in addressing APRO suppliers’ needs and issues. The committee sets the direction and helps with many of the specifics of the convention and buying show, while providing an important link between vendors and dealers.

 

Committee members serve staggered, two-year terms and half of the positions become available each year at the convention.  Bill French of O'Rourke Sales is the committee vice chairman, acting as a liaison between industry vendors and the APRO president. French also serves on the APRO board of directors. Michael Gerwe is the committee’s co-vice chairman.

 

The Vendor Advisory Committee meets three times a year—once at the conclusion of the convention, once in the fall and again in the spring. All committee members participate voluntarily and assume responsibility for their expenses for travel and accommodations.

 

briley

APRO President
Robert Briley
(Term 2011-12)
Briley Investments, dba Aaron's
Abilene, Texas 
325/698-1501

Email: robert.briley@aaronrents.com

Vice Chairman 
Bill French
(Term 2010-12)
O'Rourke Sales Company
Lewisville, Texas
972/978-9283
 
Email: bfrench@orourkesales.com
Co-Vice Chairman
Michael E. Gerwe Jr. 
(Term 2011-13)
RES Accessories
Tampa, Florida
800/444-7304


Email: mgjr@resacc.com

APRO Board Liaison
Jamie Slatton
(Term 2011-12)
Buddy's Home Furnishings
Tampa, Florida
813/623-5461


Email: jslatton@buddyrents.com

Al Benson
(Term 2011-13)
Central File
Brown Deer, Wisconsin
414/365-9000

Email: al@centralfileinc.com
John Blair 
(Term 2011-13)
PTS Financial Tax Service
Canton, Georgia 
770/262-5609 

Email: johnb4623@aol.com
Bryan Collins
(Term 2010-12)
Bryce Company
Cullman, Alabama
800/880-9434


Email: bryan@brycejewelry.com

Ellison Crider
(Term 2011-13)
RSSS
Corpus Christi, Texas
361/737-0635
800/334-5224, ext. 6
Michelle Dunning
(Term 2010-12)
Tom's Truck Center
Atlanta, Georgia
404/886-1793
 
Email: micki777@aol.com
Larry Furiani 
(Term 2011-13)
Coaster Co. of America
 
Santa Fe Springs, Calfornia
562/944-7899, ext. 1149 

Email: lfuriani@coasteramer.com
Gary Jones
(Term 2011-13)
Ashley Furniture
Carrollton, Texas
972/939-5123

Email: gjones@ashleyfurniture.com
Don Julson
(Term 2011-13)
BriteLite Enterprises
Los Angeles, California
847/840-1631

Email: don.julson@gmail.com
Jay Nardone 
(Term 2010-12)
O'Rourke Sales Company
Atlanta, Georgia
404/822-4700
 

Email: jnardone@orourkesales.com

Marty Smith
(Term 2010-12)
Imagery Marketing Consultants
St. Louis, Missouri
314/835-0004

Email: martys@imageryadv.com
Sherry Workman
(Term 2010-12)
Workman & Company
Wichita, Kansas
316/734-3244
 
Email: sherry_workman@yahoo.com

 

 

  

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 
 

  

   


  

   
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

     

   
   

 

 

 

                                   
 

  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Join APRO Today!

For more information:
800/204-2776, ext. 109
Fax 512/794-0097
E-mail Shelley Martinek, APRO's member services director




2012 APRO Convention and Trade Show

July 24-26, Memphis, TN

Attendee Information

Exhibitor Information

Thank you APRO 2012 Sponsors

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From the KLQ Education Foundation 2008 Golf Tournament Album
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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