Rent to Own Industry Headlines...
Follow APRO on Twitter and Facebook
[February 5, 2010] Keep up to date on all the latest rent-to-own industry news and announcements on APRO's Twitter and Facebook pages. Read previous Twitter posts here, then sign up and "follow" RTOHQ to receive regular updates via e-mail, ...
[Read the Full Story]

Aaron's donates solar-powered electric systems to Haiti relief efforts
[February 5, 2010] Aaron's today is donating two solar-powered electric systems valued at $100,000 in support of Haiti relief efforts through ACORP, Aaron's Community Outreach Program. Through ACORP, Aaron's associates have donated thousands of hours of associate time to ...
[Read the Full Story]

ColorTyme manager enters Boston Marathon for children's hospital
[February 5, 2010] On April 19, Providence ColorTyme Store Manager Albert Coelho will be running for more than his health; he will be making a difference for thousands of children. Coelho will participate in the Boston Marathon, a 26.2-mile ...
[Read the Full Story]

Serta offers national RTO comforter giveaway
[February 5, 2010] We are very excited to announce Serta’s 1st Quarter 2010 National Marketing Event. Never before has a Mattress Manufacturer offered an event like this that gives rent-to-own dealers the opportunity to capitalize on a nationally advertised ...
[Read the Full Story]

APRO, Ashley hospitality suite a hit
[February 3, 2010] RTO dealers at the Ashley Hospitality Suite at World Market Center Las Vegas Tuesday. More than 30 rent-to-own professionals representing a dozen companies turned out Tuesday for the annual RTO reception at Las Vegas Winter Market hosted ...
[Read the Full Story]

Artists Guild of America: Real art by real artists
[February 2, 2010] Ron Munoz shows off some art samples at Las Vegas Market. For over 30 years the Artists Guild of America has been producing hand-painted art on canvas in company studios located in Los Angeles, California. Each painting ...
[Read the Full Story]

Progressive Furniture expands into hardwoods
[February 2, 2010] George Ramel, Mike France and Dan Kendrick of Progressive Furniture. Progressive Furniture, a 25-year old North Carolina Furniture Company, recently expanded its offerings by producing a line of hardwood products manufactured in the company's Mexico plant. Progressive ...
[Read the Full Story]

Coaster Fine Furniture RTO catalog released
[February 2, 2010] As an import distributor of fine home furnishings across all major residential categories, Coaster offers one of the largest selections of continually-warehoused merchandise from seven warehouses strategically located across the country. And with Coaster's new 2010 "...
[Read the Full Story]

New Majik RTO opens in Huntingdon, PA
[February 2, 2010] Huntingdon Mayor Dee Dee Brown, center left, helps cut the ribbon on the new Majik Rentals store in her city. Lancaster-based Majik Rentals and Sales officially opened its fifth rent to own location in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania yesterday. ...
[Read the Full Story]

SLR International debuts at Vegas Market this week
[February 2, 2010] Joe Savovic, founder of SLR International. SLR International, leather motion furniture specialist, debuts this week at the Winter Las Vegas Market in Building A, space 1054. SLR International was founded in early 2008 by RTO industry veteran, ...
[Read the Full Story]

Rent-A-Center reports Q4 2009 Results
[February 1, 2010] Rent-A-Center, the nation's largest rent-to-own operator, today announced revenues and earnings for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2009. Fourth Quarter 2009 Results: Total revenues for the quarter ended December 31, 2009 were $672.9 million, ...
[Read the Full Story]

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:

Step 2
watch now | See All Videos

APRO Exclusive Audio:

John Cleek Jr., MRDA president
listen now | Listen to All Audio
APRO's 2010 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 2010 Employee and Customer of the Year contest.


RTO Industry Supported Legislation

The rent-to-own industry supports S. 738, introduced by Senator Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana), and H.R. 1744, 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 
 

Greg Ponte, ARMCO LLC, dba Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership, Batavia, Illinois; Scott McHale and Harry Pappas, CTRTO LLC, dba ColorTyme, Phoenix, Maryland; Bruce Nerison, DC Sales and Lease Inc., dba Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and James Stephens, RiteTyme Enterprises LLC, dba ColorTyme, Shreveport, Louisiana
     
Vendors

Randy Zielinski, Affiliated Construction Specialists, Oxford, Michigan; Dan Smith, ETax Partners, Fayetteville, Georgia; and John B. Levens and EJ Lara, Printing Etc., Metairie, Louisiana
 

 


Featured APRO Photo:
From the 2009 Midwest RTO Expo Album
2009 Midwest RTO Expo
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 the links below to download each article as a PDF

Complete issue of RTOHQ: The Magazine | November-December 2009
Download the entire November - December 2009 issue of RTOHQ: The Magazine by clicking on the link above (PDF).

 

Legislation Happens
Rent-to-own dealers, employees and vendors will unite on Capitol Hill February 23–25 to tell the rent-to-own story to members of Congress and their staff. We encourage you to be a part of this lawmaking process, because—-with or without you—-legislation happens.

 

Uniting the States of Rent-to-Own
by Kristen Card
State rental dealer associations play a vital role in maintaining the health of the rent-to-own industry. In this issue, we profile a handful of these groups—in Missouri, Illinois, Georgia, Florida and Pennsylvania—and chart the expanding array of services they provide to members.

 

Crapshoot in the Courthouse: RTO in State Supreme Courts
by Ed Winn III
Justice is supposed to be blind, unbiased, impartial—-but we know better. Take, for example, the decisions of state supreme courts when the primary rent-to-own issue-—lease vs. sale-—has been presented to them. The message from these cases is clear: the courthouse can be a dangerous place for RTO dealers.

 

Economic Forecast 2010: Ready for a Rebound?
by Phillip M. Perry
Maybe 2009 was tough, but as a business survivor, you can congratulate yourself on your hardiness and take steps to capitalize on a rebound.

 

Vendor Spotlight: Ashley’s Ron Wanek
by Tiffany Hamburger
Ron Wanek’s Midwestern roots and work ethic, combined with abundant artistic talent, have helped assure that Ashley is seated at the top of the furniture industry.

 

Cover illustration by Barry Fitzgerald

 

See the current issue of RTOHQ: The Magazine...
[PDF format] [HTML format]
Visit the RTOHQ: The Magazine Archives...