Hiring - APRO

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noteworthyRSSS promotesHersh to supportspecialistCarri Hersh has beenpromoted to applicationsupport specialistfor RSSS. For the pastsix years, Hersh hasbeen the client supportcoordinator, managingclient support calls fromthe company’s CorpusChristioffices.JanMiller,RSSS directorof clientservices, says, “Carri hasdone an outstanding jobas client support coordinator.She was readyfor a promotion and anew challenge.Due tothe growth of RSSS overthe past few years, wewere able to do that forher. We believe she is theperfect person for the jobbecause she has learnedthe application but, moreimportantly, has developedrelationships withour clients over the pastsix years. She will beable to leverage thoserelationships in hernew position.”Congress passes one-year stay on AMT;tax returns most likely postponedRent-to-own customers may have to wait for their tax refund this spring due to thelast-minute passage of an Alternative Minimum Tax “patch.” Congress passedthe AMT legislation in a 352–64 vote on December 19 and President George W.Bush approved the legislation. “This is a critical issue for millions of people who dependon their refunds and could have a massive impact on rent-to-own customers,” says APROExecutive Director Bill Keese.After weeks of wrangling over AMT legislation, one of Congress’ last acts of 2007 wasto pass a bill that would put a one-year stay on the AMT before it reached further down intothe middle class. Congress has typically frozen the number of AMT taxpayers at 4 millionby “patching” the AMT, which prevents more middle-class taxpayers from having to facethe tax. However, the “patch” deprives $50 billion that the Treasury would otherwise raise.With such a late fix, however, the IRS says it needs up to seven weeks from the datethe legislation was signed in order to complete changes to electronic and paper tax forms.Therefore, the tax filing season that normally began on January 14 was pushed to January28. Some sources are even stating that the tax season may start as late as February 18.If that is the case, both paper and electronic filers who depend on their returns to assisttheir cash flow may have to wait a few weeks longer than usual. “Our customers are oftenstrapped for cash after Christmas and depend completely on their IRS refunds to remedythe problem,” says Shannon Strunk of Baber’s Leasing. “I suspect that it will come as badnews when they realize that this late fix may cost them as much as 30 days in time beforethey can fix any problems they were expecting to fix promptly.”With the delay in filing, the backlog at the IRS will be substantial. Last year, the IRSreceived 38 million tax returns by February 16, 32 million of which involved refunds.Premierfranchiseesopen stores inDelaware andFloridaTen-year RTO veteranand current U.S. ArmyReservist Steve Newmanopened a Premier Rental-Purchase store in Milford,Delaware, in November.Although Newman willnot be able to able tomanage the store personallyuntil he completeshis military assignmentin the Reserves, he isfulfilling his long-standingdream of businessownership in an industryhe says he loves.Called up for activeduty in 2002, it was thesecond time in 10 yearsthat Newman’s careergot sidelined. After hereturned, he becamean account manager forRentWay, working hisway up to manage oneof the best stores in theregion at that time andreceiving the company’sDirector Award.Although Newmanstill has one more year inhis current military assignment,which is closeby at Dover Air ForceBase, he has structuredhis RTO operation to includea manager who willrun things for him.In other Premier news,after a lengthy careerworking as a rent-toownemployee, DennisLingerfelt and his wife,Donna, opened theirown store in Jacksonville,16 PROGRESSIVE RENTALS
Florida, earlier this year.Lingerfelt’s RTOexperience began 15years ago when he wasrecruited by Rental Kingthen endured a series ofbuy-outs as an employeeof RentWay and RentRitebefore deciding it wastime to go into businessfor himself.“I was excited aboutwhat they [Premier] hadto offer. It’s a good establishment.They want youto be a success and go outof their way to make youthat way. It’s really a greatprogram.”Industry vendorShannon ends 23years with RCAAfter 23 years of servicewith Thomson’s RCAaudio/videodivision,Timothy B.Shannonsteppeddown asnational manager specialmarkets on December 31.Thomson sold its RCAaudio/video activities toAudiovox Corp. “Currently,our RCA audio/video business sells awide range of AV products,including DVDand MP3 players, hometheater audio systems,clock radio productsand digital informationrecorders,” says Shannon.“As part of this transaction,Thomson will assignto Audiovox rights tothe RCA brand withinthe field of use for audio/video products.”Earlier this year,Audiovox purchasedThomson’s accessoriesbusiness, includingrights in that categoryto the RCA brand. It isShannon’s goal to stay inthe electronics industrydoing special markets—which includes rent-toown—ashe has too muchenergy to retire and willmiss the many friends hehas made in rent-to-own.“I started with RCA inMarch 1985, as the veryfirst national rental managerthat RCA had everhad. My first assignmentas the new RCA rentalmanager was to attend theColorTyme Convention inMaui that month—howcould you not love a joblike that!” says Shannon.His early customersincluded industry legendsTom Devlin of Rent-A-Center, Chuck Sims ofRemco, Willy Talley, DickGenotte, Jim Thompsonand Steve Kruse. “I knewI had found a home,”says Shannon. “The rentalpeople were fantastic towork with and extremelyloyal.”Shannon has also beeninvolved with APRO,having served 15 yearson the APRO VendorAdvisory Committee andwas part of the team ofindustry vendors whoorganized the committee.“Being associated withthe rent-to-own industryis one of the best thingsthat has ever happened tome and my wife, Pattie,”says Shannon.Aaron Rentspromotes TrainorJohn T. Trainor hasbeen promoted to vicepresident, informationtechnology, of Aaron’sSales and Lease OwnershipDivision. Hepreviously served as ITdirector of applicationdevelopment.Trainor has morethan 16 years experiencein information technologyand has been withAaron’s since 1999. He hasprovided leadership indevelopment of softwarefor Aaron’s stores and thedesign and managementof enterprise systems forthe company.Trainor holds abachelor’s of electricalengineering degreewith specialization incomputer systems fromthe Georgia Institute ofTechnology and lives inRoswell, Georgia, withhis wife and three sons.ColorTymehires Deeringas directorof franchisedevelopmentColorTyme has hiredJames Deering to lead itsfranchisedevelopmentefforts.Deeringmostrecentlyserved as president of PCJFranchising Co. in Wilmington,North Carolina,and brings 15 years ofretail and service industryfranchise experience toColorTyme. This positionwill be his first rent-toownventure; however,according to ColorTymeCEO Bob Bloom, hisextensive franchisingknowledge and expertisewill help the companyrefine and expand itsgrowing franchise system.“This position requiresbroad knowledge offranchising laws and bestpractices,” says Bloom.“James’ depth and breadthof experience makes himan ideal choice to headColorTyme’s franchisingefforts, especially as webegin to roll out plans toexpand RimTyme.”Last month, Color-Tyme announced significantexpansion to itsRimTyme custom wheelrental division that willinclude broad franchisedevelopment. In additionto overseeing ColorTyme’straditional RTO franchiseneeds and expansion opportunities,Deering willalso lead the franchisingefforts for RimTyme.“I’m excited about theopportunity to learna whole new industrywithin franchising,” saysDeering. “RTO is a strongbusiness model. For theindustry to continue toexpand and get better operators,they have to withnon-traditional routes.I hope to bring greatfranchise and businessorganizational efficienciesas well as help refine theproven systems that ColorTymehas in place now.”February-March 2008 17
Page 1 and 2: The value of loyalty + Rent-to-own
Page 3 and 4: Grow......And Still KeepYour Indepe
Page 5 and 6: ProgressiveRentalsFebruary-March 20
Page 7 and 8: Associate Member since 1984
Page 9 and 10: Compiled byMurlin Evans,Richard May
Page 11 and 12: CALENDAR OF EVENTSfun to be around.
Page 13 and 14: Chris Bolin of BolinRental Purchase
Page 15 and 16: own image. Studies showthat 42 perc
Page 17: industry to new levels.”Headquart
Page 21 and 22: When credit gets tight, it gets tig
Page 23 and 24: HiringNavigatinga changinglegal lan
Page 25 and 26: says Tapia-Ruano. “Many attorneys
Page 27 and 28: RightEverything you need forSuccess
Page 29: Associate Member since 1997
Page 33 and 34: Looking for loyaltyin all the right
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Page 43 and 44: in APRO publications (+), APRO Buyi
Page 45 and 46: NO.81CONFESSIONS FROMTHE KITCHEN“

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