The Association of Progressive Rental Organizations - the Official Voice of the Rent-to-Own Industry at RTOHQ.org

Rent to Own Industry Headlines...

RTO First: American Rentals becomes authorized service center for DURABOOK laptops.

[July 4, 2008] GammaTech Computer Corporation recently certified American Rentals as an authorized service center for Durabook Ruggedized Laptops, allowing the company to repair damaged computers in house. Kelly Ireland, computer buyer and assistant IT tech with Bloomington, Indiana-based American ...

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Economic malaise, aggressive marketing convert retail customers to rent-to-own

[July 3, 2008] by Murlin Evans While tightened consumer lending, job cuts, ascending fuel costs, and other recession indicators are casting a dark cloud over the U.S. economy as a whole, in certain areas they are leading more traditional ...

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New Age expands distribution of Sharp products

[July 2, 2008] New Age Electronics announced today it will distribute an expanded inventory of Sharp Electronics audio visual merchandise. Under the terms of the agreement, New Age will now distribute Sharp LCD televisions, Blu-ray disc players and audio/video components ...

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200 Kansas atheletes to compete in High Touch Special Olympics softball tourney

[July 2, 2008] More than 200 athletes from around Kansas will compete Saturday, July 12 in the third annual Kansas Special Olympics South Central Invitational Softball Tournament. High Touch, a 24-year old Wichita, Kansas technology solutions company will mark its ...

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Industry "character" Ken Glasgow of ColorTyme remembered

[July 2, 2008] Long-time ColorTyme Field Representative Ken Glasgow, 56, of Fort Worth, Texas, died June 11, 2008 at John Peter Smith Hospital. APRO is proud to present this colorful commentary on Glasgow, by his friend and former ColorTyme collegue, ...

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Industry stats due July 11

[July 2, 2008] The fiscal health and viability of the rent-to-own industry is only as stable as the statistical data it is able to amass and present to the public. Click to take the survey. And there is no more ...

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Rent One's Fuwell honored with top Carnegie award

[July 1, 2008] Public speaking was never a favorite pastime of Rent One Store Manager Sheila Fuwell. But by the end of a 12-week Dale Carnegie Management Training Course, Fuwell's weekly presentations became a class favorite, earning the respect of ...

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2008 Employee and Customer of the Year nomination deadline July 11

[July 1, 2008] The nomination deadline for APRO's eighth annual employee and customer of the year awards is only 10 days away. Help honor the industry's finest by submitting your nominations for the individuals you feel exemplify the best of ...

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Mike Neighbours joins SED International

[July 1, 2008] SED International, a leading consumer electronics distributor, today announced the hiring of industry veteran Mike Neighbours as Sales Manager for its rent-to-own division. Mike Neighbors. Neighbours was previously National Account Manager and Regional Sales Manager for Philips ...

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Customer Expectations: Seventh installment in book review series

[July 1, 2008] Editors Note: APRO is proud to present the seventh in a semi-regular series of articles by George M. Schorsten Jr., Operations Manager CEO of Blue Ribbon Rentals, reviewing the book, "Exceeding Customers Expectations, What Enterprise, America’...

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RAE Awards submission deadline today

[June 30, 2008] Today is the deadline for submitting your best ad campaign to the industry's most prestigious advertising awards competition -- the 2008 Rental Advertising Excellence Awards. (RAE). Watch the video! The RAE submission deadline is June 30, so ...

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Visit the Rent-to-Own Industry News Archives...

Calendar of Events

Rent-to-Own Events
Check RTOHQ.org for upcoming Rent-to-own meetings and events, and if you're interested in posting your event on our website contact us!

APRO's Rent-to-Own
Industry Events Overview

All Rent-to-Own Events

APRO Exclusive Video:

Rent to Own Industry donates 28 computers in St. Louis
watch now | See All Videos

APRO Exclusive Audio:

Wayne Chambers Interview
listen now | Listen to All Audio

APRO's 2008 Rent-to-Own Customer / Employee of the Year Award

APRO's Employee and Customer of the Year are those customers and employees who inspire, help or sacrifice for the betterment of their families and/or communities-just like the previous recipients listed below have done.

If one of your customers and/or employees represent rent-to-own with such honor and character then be sure to submit their name's for APRO's 2008 Employee and Customer of the Year contest.

RTO Industry Supported Legislation

The rent-to-own industry supports S. 1012, introduced by Senator Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana), and H.R. 1767, introduced by Representative William Lacy Clay (D-Missouri).

The rent-to-own industry is currently asking members of Congress to co-sponsor the legislation.

Click here to find out if your member of Congress is a current co-sponsor. For more information about RTO industry supported legislation, click here.

Welcome New APRO Members

Rental dealers

Harold Varvel, DWC Ventures LLC, Dayton, Ohio; Lawrence Keener Sr., Keener Investments LLC, dba Power Move Delivery Services & Rentals, Dothan, Alabama; Rod Pederson, Lease Zone LLC, Lexington, Kentucky; Paul Bottomley, Midwest Rentals Inc., dba Premier Rental-Purchase, Rochester, Indiana; Robert Serina, The RMS Family Inc., dba Premier Rental-Purchase, Newberry, South Carolina; Roy Soto, RRSSR Inc., dba Premier Rental-Purchase, San Antonio, Texas; and Terry Pomerleau, Todd & Terry's, Fruitland Park, Florida

Associate members

Joseph A. Bouchie, Appliance Parts Depot, Dallas, Texas

Register Now!

APRO 2008 Convention
Information

Featured APRO Photo:
From the Dave Egan Legislative Conference 2007 Album
Bill Keese, APRO and Casey Pristou, Aaron's
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 Progressive Rentals April - May 2008
Download the entire April - May 2008 issue of Progressive Rentals by clicking on the link above (PDF file size is approximately 9 MB). by APRO

Make the Connection!
APRO's 2008 Rent-to-own Convention and Buying Show
By Shelley Martinek and Neil Ferguson
Meet us in St. Louis and make your rent-to-own connection at APRO's 2008 Convention and Buying Show, August 11-14. It's the industry's must-see event of the year and we've got all the details and registration forms within these pages.

In Search of the Industry's Finest
By Richard May
APRO's annual RTO Customer of the Year and Employee of the Year awards shed light on what makes this industry great. We're asking for your help in finding this year's recipients--we'll even pay you for your efforts! Check out profiles of past recipients and then start your search.

Rent-to-own and Islam
By Ed Win III
What do rent-to-own and Islam have in common? Quite a lot, actually. Islamic populations governed under Sharia law are being told they cannot enter into transactions where interest is charged. Enter ijara--rent-to-own Muslim-style.

APROfile: Scott Brown
By Kristen Card
Scott Brown, a former record-breaking swimmer, now dives into his ColorTyme franchises with ambitious goals, plans and processes for unsinkable success.

Visit the Progressive Rentals Magazine Archives...