6-year Old Boy Wins Dream Machine Coloring Contest; Boy's Design To Be Used On Michael Waltrip's No. 99
"Not too many 6-year olds get to see their drawings come to life - let alone watch them travel by at 185 miles per hour." - Ken Butler, President, Aaron's Sales and Lease Ownership...more
 

Who's The Best Product Technician In The Aaron's Franchise? Company's Annual PT Rodeo Championship To Be held This Weekend In Talladega
The competition is the only one of its kind within the lease-purchase industry. 3,000 product technicians descend on 126 different locations to compete in tasks such as loading and unloading a truck, driving quickly and accurately through an obstacle course and completing a written exam on Aaron’s product, service and repair knowledge...more

LG Electronics Unveils World's First Steam Washer at Kitchen and Bath 2006
"Our SteamWasher...will change the way people think about clothing care" - Soon Kwon, president of Digital Appliances for LG Electronics USA...more

AUDIO
Oregon House And Senate Pass Law To Deny Credit To Oregon Consumers; Effectively Shuts Down Payday Lending In State
"I pay too much to have my shirt laundered, but I don't feel I can go the my dry cleaner and tell them I want to pass a law to reduce the cost." - Representative Wayne Scott (R), Oregon House Majority Leader in opposition to SB 1105...more

Rent to Own Entrepreneur Jan Labat Sees 30% Revenue Increase Since December
"Converting to ColorTyme has really given me the opportunity to step up on the product side without sacrificing my customer service." - Jan Labat, ColorTyme Franchisee...more

Consumers Generally Unaware Of Impending Digital TV Transition; Associations Align To Educate Public
"It is clear that there is a general lack of awareness of the impending transition to all-digital broadcasting, and the implications for TV viewers." - Kyle McSlarrow, NCTA President & CEO...more

Dollar Financial Settles Three Wage-And-Hour Class Actions; Provides Q3 Outlook
"The settlements will enable Dollar to avoid the substantial continuing legal and other expenses, which for fiscal 2006 have been approximately $350,000 per quarter, as well as the drain on management resources being devoted to defense of these claims." - Donald F. Gayhardt, Dollar Financial President...more

National Society for Hispanic Professionals’ Job Fair Series Set For Atlanta, Houston and Los Angeles
"These career fairs are an exciting opportunity for NSHP to advance our mission of empowering Hispanic professionals and cultivating future Latino leaders." - Sandra Roffo, National Society for Hispanic Professionals...more

Payday Giant QC Holdings Names Richardson To Board
"Our fund has continued to increase its stake in QC because we believe in the long-term value being generated through the company's recent investment in additional branches." - Kevin A. Richardson II, Prides Capital LLC...more

New Statistical Data Download Application From Fed
"Markets work best when people are well-informed. The Federal Reserve is using the latest technology to make data more accessible and easier to understand--key elements of our mission in promoting financial education." - Federal Reserve Governor Randall S. Kroszner...more

Arkansas Rental Dealers To Name Manager, Vendor of the Year During Next Week's Tradeshow
ARDA experienced a significant increase in membership in the past 12 months, primarily due to increased involvement by both Rent Way and Rent-A-Center...more

Rent-Way Expands TomorrowNow Support Agreement
"A main tenet of RentWay's vision is for us to be measured by our ability to grow, innovate, and manage change." - Jim Monson, CIO of RentWay...more

TRIB Members Approve AVB Merger
TRIB members voted to approve a merger with AVB Brandsource. This according to a statement issued by AVB this morning. According to the memo, TRIB and AVB/Brand Source announced a formation of a strategic alliance. This partnership, pending AVB, Inc. board approval, begins immediately and the first major roll-out will be at the TRIB Group Show, May 17-20, 2006 in Cincinnati...more

Stanley Furniture Record Q1; Expects Weak 2006
"The softness in industry sales that began in the latter half of last year has continued into 2006 with inconsistent demand patterns. Recent business conditions have been softer than we anticipated and has caused us to modestly lower our sales projections for 2006." - Jeffrey R. Scheffer, chairman, president and chief executive officer...more

Mobil Phones Poised To Become Dominant Internet Platform
Today, four in 10 adults browse the Internet on their wireless handset in Japan, double the rate from 2003...more

College Students With Disabilities Ready for Summer and Full-Time Employment Labor Department Releases Free Database on CD
"The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is an excellent resource of well-educated and highly skilled job candidates for employers to choose from" - Dr. W. Roy Grizzard Jr., assistant secretary for disability employment policy...more

Top 50 Companies for Diversity
"Companies are realizing the importance and the credibility of the only business list for diversity in the marketplace" - Luke Visconti, partner and cofounder of DiversityInc...more

EZCORP Raises Q2 Earnings Guidance 30%
Strong than expected growth in payday loan revenue contributed to the improved performance...more

FDIC Payday Regs Continue Earnings Crunch; First Bank of Delaware Earnings Drop 25%
Future earnings will be negatively affected by a substantial reduction in payday loans made by the Company due to an earlier revision of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's guidelines for payday lending...more

TRIB Members Vote On Merger
TRIB mailed ballots to all members Friday asking for a Yes or No vote on "forming an alliance" with AVB. The ballot does not contain an option for considering the RentDirect or MEGA proposals...more

El Paso Rental Dealer Hosts Bi-Partisan Luncheon For Key Texas Representative
Representative Rose has proven himself an independent thinking, fiscally conservative Democrat with a passion for education and statewide economic growth...more

WithIt To Host Competitive Intelligence Event During High Point Market; Macro & Micro Trends of the Market
"It’s not enough to look at finished product trends. We need to understand the underlying reason behind the trend." - Jena Hall, Moderator, Macro & Micro Market Trends...more

Pearcey's Opens Second Wheel and Tire Rental Location
The most popular rental wheels are 22" chrome with an average rental payment of $250.00...more

Editorial
By Mamie Salazar-Harper
What's The Rush? TRIB Members Should Be Allowed To Hear All Proposals
On Friday, April 14, 2006, I received an overnight package (dated April 12th) regarding TRIB's proposed merger with AVB. I assume all TRIB members received the same package. At first glance it sounded good, but once I mulled it over, I had more questions than answers. There are more choices out there that we as members, are not being allowed to see. The choice is essentially between AVB and Nationwide RentDirect...more

Furniture Answers Launches Streaming Video Training Series For RTO Industry
"Special techniques used to fix damaged furniture are now available 24 hours a day, seven days a week" - Pat Blank, Furniture Answers National Director of Training and Support...more

Rent-Way Webcast Scheduled
Rent-Way Inc. (RWY) announced it will host a conference call in connection with the release of financial results for its second quarter ended March 31, 2006...more

California's New Digital Television Adapter Energy Regulation Threatens to Leave Millions of Californians without DTV
"These converters are necessary for existing analog televisions to receive the new digital and high-definition television signals by antenna. This regulation would likely raise the cost and limit the availability of these products, potentially leaving millions of Californians on the wrong side of the digital divide."  CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro and National Association of Broadcasters President and CEO David K. Rehr...more

Former easyhome Exec Bill Johnson Named President And COO Of RentCash
"He brings with him a wealth of business knowledge and experience that spans a 35 year career." - Gordon J. Reykdal, Chairman and CEO, Rentcash...more

Households With Teenagers Own 50% More Electronics; Study Shows Teen Influence In Family Spending Increasing
"It's interesting to note, however, the extent to which teens are beginning to use that information to influence household purchases." - Sean Wargo, CEA Director of Industry Analysis...more

CEO Confidence Edges Up; But Execs Wary About Next Six Months
35 percent of business leaders expect economic conditions to improve in the coming months, down from 41 percent last quarter...more

Wal-Mart Fires Back At Critics Of It's Financial Services Division
"Instead of supporting our efforts to help save even more money for working families across the country, our critics chose to distort the facts and raise fears about activities our application prohibits." - Wal-Mart in a statement issued after yesterday's FDIC hearing...more

Aaron Rents Presentation at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Conference To Be Webcast
Aaron Rents' President and Chief Operating Officer, Robert C. Loudermilk, Jr., and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Gilbert L. Danielson, will be making a presentation about Aaron Rents' business and financial profile at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey's 35th Annual Institutional Conference...more

Consumer Confidence Stable After March Dive
"However, with the recent rise in interest rates, Americans are more cautious regarding purchases. Nearly half (46 per cent) of consumers report they are less confident in making a major purchase such as a home or car." - From most recent RBC CASH index study...more

Evolution Of Payment Processing In Canada; 68% Of Canadian Merchants Do Not Offer Alternative Payment Methods
Most companies (68%) do not offer customers the option to use other innovative payment methods such as micro payments, stored value or prepaid cards, mobile payments or eWallet, nor do they plan on offering these services...more

Arkansas Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Asa Hutchinson Bows To Pressure From Liberal PAC; Calls For End To Short Term Financing For Arkansas Consumers
Arkansas' artificial usury limit, which ignores the basic economic reality of risk vs. return, has forced most serious banks and credit agencies to flee the state - leaving little choice for consumers of alternative finance...more

Sealy Prices IPO; Trading Begins Today
Sealy Corporation set the pricing of its initial public offering of 28,000,000 shares of common stock at a price of $16.00 per share...more

Dollar Financial Corp. CEO and President Ring NASDAQ Closing Bell
Jeff Weiss, Chairman and CEO and Don Gayhardt, President of Dollar Financial Corp., presided over the NASDAQ closing bell today...more

ColorTyme Taps Amy Woods As Director Of Marketing; Franchise veteran combines retail advertising and franchisee relations expertise in new role
"I admire ColorTyme for its committed management team and entrepreneurial mindset that empowers its franchisees." - Amy Woods, Marketing Director, ColorTyme...more

Cash America Expects To Beat Street; Lower Charge-Offs, Higher Gold Prices Cited
Cash America experienced lower loan loss rates from its cash advance portfolio in the quarter...more

Rent-A-Center Q1 Conference Call Set For April 25th
Company execs will discuss the earnings release that will be issued after the close of the market on Monday, April 24, 2006. Audio of the call will be broadcast live...more

RTO Online Sets Visitor Record In March; Increases Traffic Guidance For 06'
"Based on our Q1, 2006 performance, I am raising RTO Online's 2006 traffic estimate by 15%." - Roy Griffaw, President. RTO Online, Inc...more

RSSS Users Wrap Conference In Corpus Christi Photo gallery (108)
"I want to be viewed by clients, not as a vendor, but as a strategic partner." - Wayne Chambers, President, RSSS...more

Premier Rents Announces Four Franchise Companies; Taking its franchising experience into related industries
Premier Rents has plans to expand its franchise operations from Rental-Purchase into four companies, to include Wheel Rentals, Home Furnishings and Cash Services...more

Premier Rimz Enthusiastic After RTO Debut of Online Wheels & Tires At NATIONWIDE & TARA Shows
"The RTO stores that have signed up see the value of entering the wheel and tire inexpensively through our online program." - CheriLyn Korth, VP Sales, Premier Rimz...more

Teletrack Names New President; Dale Williams to Succeed Outgoing Founder Dana Webster
Williams joins Teletrack from Fair Isaac Corporation, where he was vice president of collections and recovery solutions...more

Texas Governor Perry Appoints M-Rentals' Mamie Salazar Harper To Council
Salazar-Harper also serves on the advisory board of the State National Bank and is the chairwoman for the El Paso Annual Women in Business Conference...more

Dollar Financial Expands U.K. Presence with Franchisee Acquisition
"The acquisition of these stores, which are all located in southeast England, allows us to increase our presence in markets that were not previously being served." - Don Gayhardt, President of Dollar Financial...more

Conference Coverage
Wayne Chambers Welcomes Rental Pros To RSSS User Conference
"It is our purpose to make sure rent to own companies can run better-faster-smarter and more profitably." - Wayne Chambers, President, RSSS...more

Atlanta's Bruce Emory - RTO Concepts Converts To ColorTyme; Plans Expansion
Over the last 14 years, Emory has had as many as eight stores open at once, but was in a constant struggle to secure the financing he needed to grow at a significant pace...more

Louisiana RTO Entrepreneur Rebuilds After Katrina; ColorTyme veteran uses financing, support to restore local franchise
"They were there for us when we had no where else to turn. (ColorTyme President) Bob Bloom helped keep us in business and I’m grateful to everyone at corporate and so many other ColorTyme franchisees for their continued support." - Tom Neyhart, ColorTyme Franchisee... more

Average U.S. Household Owns 26 Consumer Electronics Products; 35% Own Notebook PC
"Portability is playing a larger role in computing as evidenced by the fact that notebook ownership improved four points to 35 percent of households." - Sean Wargo, CEA Director of Industry Analysis...more

Whirlpool Completes $2.6 Billion Acquisition of Maytag
The company plans to provide more detailed information about its Maytag plans in approximately 60 days...more

Internet Dependence Continues To Grow
"We anticipate continued growth in consumer adoption of the ‘digital lifestyle’ globally – particularly as consumers become to expect access to the Internet in an anytime/anywhere paradigm for communication." - Brian Cruikshank, Senior VP & Managing Director of the Ipsos Technology & Communications...more

Panasonic Ready To Launch First Blu-Ray Disc Player
Pricing in the United States on the DMP-BD10 has not been finalized, but will be less than $1,500...more

WithIt Calls for WOW Nominees; Home Furnishings Industry-wide Nominations Accepted
The four awards categories are: Legacy Award - For a woman of achievement who has made significant lifetime contributions to the home furnishings industry...more

Governor Doyle's Staff Helped Craft Rent to Own Bill That He Vetoed
"Given his staff’s involvement in crafting the bill, I am very, very disappointed that Governor Doyle chose to veto it at the eleventh hour." - Wisconsin State Senator Ron Brown (R)...more

Industry Reaction To Wisconsin Governor Doyle's Veto Of Rent to Own Legislation
"The misinformation and outright misrepresentations that have been circulated by the groups that opposed the legislation are, if left unaddressed, cancerous to the operation of a fair legislative process." - Christopher Korst, Rent-A-Center General Counsel...more

EDITORIAL

Doyle Caves; Same Spine Different Office "Kudos to His Excellency for making a political living by the simplest of mottos;  Profit bad, People stupid." - ...more

Out of Stock; The Loss Your Rent to Own Business Can't Afford
"If the customer you lost this week was looking for a bedroom suite that would have cost you $500.00 to stock, how much gross profit did you lose?"...more

Liberal Groups Increase Pressure On Wisconsin Governor Doyle; Attorney General Flip Flop
The most blatant flip-flop comes from Wisconsin Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager (D)...more

World Market Center Adds New Hotel Programs For July Market; Registration Available Online
"We are very pleased with the hotel lineup for the July Market and in particular with the new downtown properties we were able to bring on board to strengthen our overall program." - Briana Mackey, Show Director at World Market Center...more

UK Payday Loan Company Polls Customers; Sample Comments
"I felt like they really listened to me and wanted to help me – something I don’t even get in my own bank now." - Consumer comment form a recent customer survey by May Payday Loan...more

03-30-06
Governors Oppose Business Activity Tax Simplification Act; Say Legislation is an Intrusion into States’ Authority
"BAT would favor out-of-state corporations and larger in-state companies with the means to exploit loopholes to the detriment of small businesses and locally owned stores." - National Governors Association...more

Orders Written At TARA Buying Show Nearly Double Last Year
"We had great participation from dealers in Oklahoma and Louisiana." - Robert Briley, President, Texas Association of Rental Agencies... more