Rent-to-own News

Rent-to-own News - Missouri rental dealer's annual membership meeting largest ever

February 6, 2008

By Murlin Evans
 

127 dealers, employees and vendors turned out for the annual Missouri Rental Dealers Association (MRDA) annual membership meeting February 6 in Columbia, Missouri, making this year's meeting the largest in the association's history.


Store level professionalism, personal growth and legislative issues dominated the meeting which kicked off with opening remarks from

Salesman Bryan Dodge pitched goal setting as a means to personal growth at the recent annual MRDA membership meeting.

MRDA President John Cleek Jr. Cleek displayed a plaque awarded by the Association of Progressive Rental Organizations (APRO) naming MRDA the state association of the year in 2007. Cleek also urged members to contribute to the association's political action committee.


APRO Executive Director Bill Keese stressed the important role played by store level personnel in shaping the public image of the rent-to-own industry. Keese said the professionalism displayed in store level interactions would translate into a more positive perception of the industry at both the state and federal level.


"The efforts of store personnel to help millions of customers achieve the American Dream is a message we will take to the U.S. Congress," Keese said.


Keese also updated MRDA members on the upcoming APRO legislative conference February 11-13 in which 126 rent-to-own industry members have signed up to attend. The rent-to-own bills currently active are S 1012 in the Senate—sponsored by Senator Mary Landrieu—and HR 1767 in the House of Representatives—sponsored by William Lacy Clay.


Salesman Bryan Dodge closed out the morning portion of the program with a pitch for personal growth centered on goal setting and getting outside of oneself. Dodge told the audience the top two reasons people do not set goals are both the fear of failure and the fear of success.


The MRDA annual business meeting will round out the seminar ending at 3:15 p.m. followed by a meeting of the board in which all MRDA members are welcome to attend.
 

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.




Featured APRO Photo:
From the TRIB Group 2008 Silver at the Summit Convention and Buying Show Album
TRIB AWARDS BANQUET March 19

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.

Complete issue of RTOHQ: The Magazine | June - July 2008
Download the entire June- July 2008 issue of RTOHQ: The Magazine by clicking on the link above (PDF file size is approximately 11 MB). by APRO

 

The Connectors
By Kristen Card

Taking into consideration APRO’s 2008 Convention theme, “Rent-to-Own Connections,” we debut RTOHQ: The Magazine with a series of profiles on some of those in our industry who use their insights about rent-to-own and their abilities of persuasion to connect with members of Congress: Congressman William Lacy Clay, Steve Kruse, RSSS’ Ellison Crider, Missouri’s Mighty Cs (Larry Carrico, “Tiger” John Cleek and Dan Cole), Lyn Leach, Bryce Company’s Bryan Collins, Tom Bernau and Benefit Marketing Solutions.

 

Identity Theft in the Rent-to-Own World
By Ed Winn III
These days, businesses are being held more accountable for the records they keep and the safeguards they use to protect them. Should your customers’ personal and financial information fall into the hands of thieves, you might be liable for the damages caused.

 

APRO’s 2008 Convention Education: Your Gateway to New Ideas
The education schedule at APRO’s 2008 Rent-to-Own Convention and Buying Show in St. Louis has been revamped to provide an entire day of great ideas that you can take back to your stores. Check out the complete schedule and seminar descriptions in this issue.

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