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Hughes Group Takes Second ColorTyme Eagle Award in Five Years
ColorTyme presented its highest annual honor, the Eagle Award, to Gary Hughes, the majority partner in several franchise ventures (informally, the Hughes Group), at the conclusion of its 2010 National Convention in Frisco, Texas. This was Hughes' second Eagle since 2005...more

January is Doorhanger Month at RTOforms.com
January is Door Hanger Month with special pricing on Inform's complete line of stock door hangers...more

5 New Video Interviews
Harry Pappas Jr. Signs Five Store Deal With ColorTyme
Harry Pappas, Jr. is ColorTyme's newest franchisee, signing just one week ago. RTO Online interviewed Pappas at this week's ColorTyme National Convention in Dallas...more
 

Update - photo galleries
Mark Shaw Takes Top ColorTyme Honors for Sixth Consecutive Year
Waipahu, Hawaii ColorTyme store manager Mark Shaw was presented the Double Diamond award, ColorTyme's highest award for store performance, at the company's annual convention today in Dallas...more
 

ColorTyme Kicks off 2010 Convention in Dallas
ColorTyme, the nation's oldest rent-to-own franchisor, will kick off its 2010 convention today in Dallas, Texas. ColorTyme officials expect nearly 300 attendees including approximately 50 franchisees...more

Rent-A-Center Donates Computers to Texas Counseling Center
With help from the Rent-A-Center Random Act of Caring initiative, the FamilyTime Crisis and Counseling Center will be able to better serve local families and individuals in crisis...more

RentDirect PrimeTime Registrations Up 50%
Despite the ever changing retail marketplace, PrimeTime! by Nationwide Marketing Group (NMG), the largest buying show for independent rental dealers, is expecting a solid attendance at their upcoming event on February 28 - March 3 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas...more

ColorTyme Opens in Austin
A widely known and trusted brand for 30 years, ColorTyme has recently opened its doors in Austin, Texas...more

PC Shipments Back To Double-Digit Growth in Fourth Quarter
Led by a holiday season featuring price cuts of unprecedented duration, the U.S. PC market established a new record of nearly 20.7 million units shipped in the fourth quarter of 2009 (4Q09), resulting in year-on-year growth of 24%...more

Furniture Brands Expects Q4 Sales 25% Below 2008
Fourth quarter 2009 sales for home furnishings giant Furniture Brands International are expected to be more than 25% below 2008 levels...more

Rent-A-Center to release Q4 Results Feb 1
Rent-A-Center, the nation's largest rent-to-own operator, will broadcast its quarterly earnings conference call on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 10:45 AM ET over the Internet...more

Aaron's to Celebrate BCS National Championship Winning Team
Aaron's plans to produce a special National Championship paint scheme that will be featured on their NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racecar driven by David Reutimann based on the outcome of the BCS National Championship football game between the University of Alabama and the University of Texas...more

Experts Predict Consumer Electronics Growth in 2010
The consumer electronics (CE) industry will generate more than $165 billion in U.S. shipment revenues this year, a slight increase from 2009, according to the semi-annual industry forecast released today by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)...more

Premier Rental-Purchase Opens in Memphis
Premier Rental-Purchase dealers Chuck Botts and Bart Stamper have teamed up with former Aaron's regional manager Fred Reed to open the newest Premier store in Memphis...more

Christine Saggese to Lead RimTyme, ColorTyme Public Relations
"Christine's background in media relations and enthusiasm for public outreach for will be beneficial to our company, franchise community and customers alike." - Jim Deering, Director of Franchise Development, ColorTyme...more

Twin-Star International Gives Back
On Tuesday December 22nd, Twin-Star employees loaded up their cars with a ClassicFlame electric fireplace and gifts for the Del Valle family, who they sponsored this year through the Adopt-A-Family program in Palm Beach County...more

A Rent to Own Christmas Story
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the store, one account was past due, just one BOR...more

RTO Supplier New Age Electronics Enters Video Game Space
The acquisition will give RTO supplier New Age Electronics hardware and software distribution rights for Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, and Take-Two...more

Rent to Own Professional Training Series Topic 16: What's Your Leadership IQ
As a leader, you likely know how to lead your company or department. But how are you doing in terms of your personal leadership? Take the Personal Leadership Quiz...more

Rent-A-Center Opens 172nd Florida Store
Rent-A-Center is spreading holiday cheer in the community by making contributions to two nonprofit organizations. On December 16, Jones and Rent-A-Center District Manager Kris Wolfe visited Love, Inc., which supports those in need with food, clothing and financial assistance, and presented Winona Edwards, executive director, with a $1,000 grant for their food pantry...more

Moody Brothers Open Tuscaloosa Premier Rental-Purchase
Brothers Chad and Jeffery Moody opened their second Premier Rental-Purchase store recently – this one in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Moodys opened their first store in Columbus, Mississippi in mid 2008...more

Wichita Senior Wins Barton Scholarship
The Clay Barton Scholarship was established in 1991 for the son of the late Rent-A-Center Chairman Emeritus W. Frank Barton...more

Diamond Retires, Jonathan Elster to Lead SED
SED International co-founder Jeanie Diamond has retired. Chief operating officer Jonathan Elster will replace Diamond as CEO. Diamond will continue to serve as a member of SED's Board of Directors...more

Bestway Rent to Own Revenue Climbs 14%
Rental and fee income for Bestway, one of the nation's largest rent-to-own operators, increased 14% in the quarter ending October 31, 2009 compared to the same period last year. Net income for the quarter rose to $448,530 from $16,256 in 2008...more

NY Assemblyman Hoyt Praises Rent-A-Center
Representatives from Buffalo, New York Rent-A-Center stores delivered merchandise to Hispanics United of Buffalo as part of the company's national Random Acts of Caring program. Officials from Hispanic United and other community leaders, including New York State Assembly member Sam Hoyt, attended an unveiling ceremony at the organization's headquarters in Buffalo...more

Model Consumer Disclosure Forms Issued by Fed
A model consumer financial information privacy disclosure form has been released by eight federal regulatory agencies. The model privacy notice makes it easier for consumers to understand how certain companies collect and share information...more

Rent-A-Center Furnishes Homes Rebuilt After Katrina
"Thanks to Rent-A-Center, five more houses will be fully furnished, just in time for the families to celebrate the holidays together at a place they can call home." - U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu... more

RTO Pro Software Debuts New Website
RTO Pro Software, the rent to own industry's leading Windows-based management system serving over 900 RTO locations, announced the debut of the company's re-designed website...more

FDIC Study Reinforces Need for Non-Bank Financial Services
Hank Shyne, executive director of Financial Service Centers of America (FiSCA), a check-cashing and payday-loan industry trade association, believes the recent FDIC National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households reinforces the need for non-bank neighborhood financial service centers...more

Beemer: Survey Confirms Lower Holiday Spending
Contrary to some forecasts of an improved holiday shopping season in 2009, a new Christmas Retail Survey released today by America's Research Group (ARG) and UBS reveals that sales are weaker this year than in 2008...more

easyhome Opens in Muskogee OK
Bud Gates, Chairman and CEO of easygates, LLC announces the opening of a new easyhome franchise store...more

RTO Training Series #15
Building Relationships With Your Employees
Leaders, do your employees say communication could be better? Would they like more input into corporate decisions? Do they wish their contributions were more appreciated? If so, consider focusing more attention on what Quint Studer, CEO of Studer Group, calls "building an emotional bank account" with your employees...more

By Steve Minish
Start 2010 off right by Maximizing Resources
There is a large market for Rapid Refunds which has been untapped in the Rent to Own community...more

Rent-to-Own Usage Included in FDIC Study
Underbanked households were defined as those that have a checking or savings account but rely on alternative financial services. Specifically, underbanked households have used nonbank money orders, nonbank check-cashing services, payday loans, rent-to-own agreements, or pawn shops at least once or twice a year or refund anticipation loans at least once in the past five years...more

Rent-A-Tire Acquires Two Georgia RNR Stores
Rent-A-Tire, the nation's largest independently owned custom wheel and tire rent-to-own company, has acquired two RNR (formerly Rent-N-Roll) locations from H2H Investments' Mike Gilner...more

Black Friday Shoppers Up, Average Spending Down
A National Retail Federation survey conducted over the weekend confirmed Black-Friday sales expectations: more people spent less. The average spending over the weekend dropped to $343.31 per person from $372.57 a year ago...more