2005 was a busy year for news affecting the rent to own industry. RTO Online logged 52.6 million hits during 2005; serving news to over 7,000 unique users every business day. RTO MAGAZINE print edition was launched in May and circulation has increased over 20% since the inaugural issue to 9,800.

Based on traffic, the most popular story for 2005; Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders Kick Off TRIB Show. Below are the most popular stories, by month, for the full year.

January 2005

Rentcash Opens 200th Location
"This 200-store milestone marks Rentcash's entry into the competitive Toronto arena and demonstrates our rapid growth as a national chain" - Gordon J. Reykdal, President and CEO...more

Hispanic Advertising Expenditures Increased 11% In 2004
The boost comes amid an explosive increase in the U.S. Hispanic population, and surging purchasing power, that has advertisers jockeying for a larger share of this relatively untapped market...more

February 2005

Iowa Legislators Consider Cap On Refund Anticipation Loan Charges
Iowa Sate Senator Joe Bolkom, (D-Iowa City) has introduced the "Iowa Refund Anticipation Loan Act"...more

State Rent To Own Associations Plan New 5 State Regional Tradeshow (Photo Gallery)
Leaders from surrounding state associations attended the Missouri Rental Dealers Association Meeting Wednesday to coordinate a 5 state regional tradeshow to be held this fall...more

Mac Frugal’s To Offer Rent to Own Cars In Ontario
"Customer feedback has indicated that there is a definite void in the market when it comes to purchasing an automobile on a rent to own basis" - Gary Clemmensen, owner of Mac Frugal’s Furniture...more

Manager Mark Shaw Wins Double Diamond Award For Highest Revenue in ColorTyme System (70 Photos)
"This took a lot of hard work from my staff and I want to tell them thank you." said Shaw. He added that his secret is hiring the right people and have them help you achieve high goals."...more

March 2005

54 Vendors Show Goods At TARA Tradeshow (68 photos)
54 Vendors, a record for TARA (Texas Association of Rental Agencies), displayed goods today at the association's 22nd annual tradeshow...more

The Coalition for Fair Rental Regulations Invites RTO Dealers To Join Effort; Legislative Conference Set For April
The Coalition for Fair Rental Regulations, representing 4,300+ rental-purchase stores in America, cordially invites you to join with us in continued support of Federal Rental-Purchase Consumer Disclosure legislation...more

Arkansas Democrat Introduces Industry Killer Amendment To Rental Purchase Act
Arkansas State Senator Sue Madison (D-7) yesterday submitted Senate Bill 1016 (SB1016), an Act to amend the Arkansas Rental Purchase Act. Among other radical changes, the Act limits the total cost of rental purchase agreements to 150% of the Cash Price as defined by the Act...more

Interview With LG Electronics VP Bob Perry
"Our philosophy is that different retailers have different needs, but we do not create an environment where one type of retail distribution can kill the other" - Bob Perry, Vice President Sales and Channel Marketing for LG Electronics...more

FDIC Issues Revised Payday Lending Guidelines; Threatens Action
"If institutions engaged in payday lending activities fail to operate in a safe and sound manner, the FDIC may take a range of actions which may require institutions to discontinue payday lending" - FDIC...more

Ontario Rent to Own Entrepreneurs Honored
"This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff and the strength and commitment of our industry to the Niagara Peninsula" - Gary and Jeff Clemmensen, owners of Mac Frugal’s Furniture...more

Morgenstern Steps Down; Short To Head Rent Way
"I have spent my entire adult life in the rental-purchase business, of which almost twenty- four years were as CEO of Rent-Way. I look forward to exploring business opportunities outside the rental-purchase industry"  Bill Morgenstern, Rent Way...more

Rent to Own Coalition Gains Cosponsors; Holds 50 Meetings With Legislators (photo gallery; 45)
"It's almost impossible [to pass a bill without personal visits from constituents]. You have to have some connection with a member of Congress to inspire them to take action" - Tonya Saunders, Senior Vice President of The Washington Group...more

Audio Interview With Lee Duvall; Director Of Operations For Baber's Rent to Own
Lee Duvall, Director of Operations for Baber's Rent to Own, will take over as President of the Alabama Mississippi Rental Dealers Association in May...more

Federal Agency Contradicts Consumer Group Findings on Payday Advance and Minorities; CFSA to Consumer Advocates "Put Up Or Shut Up"
"The media as well as the public need to know that the Center for Responsible Lending doesn't employ methodologies to reach predetermined results" - Lynn DeVault, president of CFSA...more

SED International Adds Brian Rosen to the RTO Sales Team
"I was drawn to SED International because of the wide range of quality electronics combined with a world class sales staff that's focused on rent to own" - Brian Rosen, SED International...more

Audio Interview With Gordon Reykdal, CEO of RentCash
In the interview, Reykdal said the company has an "aggressive" growth plan laid out for the next 12 months. "In our new store opening program, we're calling for 6 new Cash Stores per month and 5 new Insta-rent outlets per month...more

Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders Kick Off TRIB Show (121 Photos of Day 1)
Every team has a cheerleading squad, but only Dallas has THE cheerleading squad. The 2005 TRIB (The Rental Industry Buying Group) Buying Show Welcome Reception picked up steam, literally, when TRIB Executive Director Dennis Shields took the stage to introduce the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders...more

Bad Policy Starts Small; Alabama Town Proposes Tax On Rent to Own Payments
The tax would effect all "tangible personal property rentals" and is (as any good tax PR firm would advise) wrapped in a good cause; a $12 million park that includes baseball fields and an indoor/outdoor swimming complex...more

Long Battle To Raise Maximum Late Fees Comes To Successful Conclusion In Texas
The new law will raise the current $2 minimum late fee to $5 and raise the maximum late fee to 10% but no more than $10. The new fees cannot be implemented on old agreements and the change does not take effect until September, 2005...more

Rental Purchase Agreement Act Gains 3 Key Co-Sponsors
Serving his 13th term in the US House of Representatives,  Ralph M. Hall (R-TX) along with first term Senators Ben Nelson (D-NE) and David Vitter (R-LA) announced their co-sponsorship of the Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act of 2005...more

National TV Sales And Rental Home Office Destroyed By Fire
Fire destroyed the 22,000 square foot National TV Rental and Sales warehouse and central office in Lebanon, Missouri Wednesday. National is owned by Mark and Kathy Windsor. There were no injuries reported...more

Rental Dealers From The Natural State Gather In Hot Springs (36 photos)
Arkansas may be a small state, but ARDA is one of the most active rental associations in the country. Solid relationships bring vendors from major companies to Hot Springs each year...more

Aaron's Ken Butler to Charlie Loudermilk; 'We'll add as many stores in the next five years as it took us the previous fifty years to open'
To honor the company's founder, Charlie Loudermilk, Ken Butler, President of Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership announced a plan to double the company's storecount in 60 months...more

RTO Online Releases Rent to Own Consumer Survey Data
"Personnel changes were nearly 4 times as likely to cause a customer to return merchandise and switch companies than a lower payment or a even a lower overall price" - From RTO Magazine Consumer Survey...more

Former HUD Secretary Endorses Rental Purchase Agreement Act
Florida Senator and former Cabinet Secretary Mel Martinez (R-FL) has endorsed the Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act of 2005, a bill supported by the Coalition for Fair Rental Regulations, a rent to own industry trade organization...more

Economic Cleansing Southern Style; Kentucky City Attempts To Ban "Legal But Unwelcome" Businesses Including Rent to Own Stores
Daniel Boone abandoned Kentucky 200 years ago when his land was taken away because he refused to kiss the west end of some eastbound politicians. Amazing how little some things change in 200 years...more

easyhome's David Ingram Named Finalist For Entrepreneur Of The Year Award
The awards honor entrepreneurs who have demonstrated excellence and extraordinary success in areas such as innovation, risk taking, company development, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities...more

Gary Hughes To Retire; Largest ColorTyme Franchisee Sells 27 Stores to Rent-A-Center
"Being a ColorTyme franchisee has given me the opportunity to turn my dream into a reality where my employees have opportunities to build their own careers and realize their own dreams" - Gary Hughes...more

Texas Governor Perry Signs RTO Late Fee Bill; New Structure Effective Immediately
According to TARA officials, this bill was made effective immediately due to the overwhelming response and grass roots efforts of Texas rental dealers...more

ColorTyme Dealers Wrap Record Breaking Convention
The ColorTyme Convention wrapped Sunday with an appearance by "The King." Rhonda Davis, ColorTyme's Director of Sales, arranged the performance the performance by Elvis tribute artist Shawn Klush, who starred in the recent CBS miniseries "Shake Rattle and Roll."...more

Rent-A-Center CEO Mark Speese Named  Southwest Entrepreneur Of The Year 2005
Speese began in the rent-to-own industry 26 years ago and started his own company in 1986 which built the foundation for today's Rent-A-Center. Under his leadership, the chain has grown to more than 2,860 stores...more

August 2005

Robert Briley Named APRO Rental Dealer of the Year; Convention Wraps In Vegas
Robert Briley, owner of Abilene, Texas based Rent City, was named 2005's Rental Dealer of the Year by APRO (Association of Progressive Rental Organizations) during Thursday nights Awards Banquet at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada...more

Sandberg Furniture Hosts Rental Dealers at Vegas Market
Over 100 rent to own and retail furniture dealers gathered in the House of Blues Foundation Room to celebrate Sandberg's new market introductions, including the new Hollywood Premier sleep system...more

September 2005

Dial Rent To Own Offers To Re-Locate RTO Employees Displaced By Katrina
In an unprecedented display of compassion and generosity, Robert W. O'Conner, owner of Virgin Islands based Dial Rent-to-own, has offered to re-locate up to 10 rent to own employees and their families displaced by Katrina...more

Aaron's Guarantees Displaced Workers Jobs
"We will do whatever we need to help out; don’t worry about overstaffing in this situation," said Hanson in the email...more

Canada's Largest Rent to Own Company Raises $52,000 In 2 Day Charity Event;
easyhome’s CEO & CFO Ride a Big Yellow School Bus To Deliver Backpacks To Kids
"Some of our stores, held car washes, BBQs, raffles, bake-sales, pie-throwing events, and even raised money to ‘shave their hair’" - Examples of ways easyhome employees raised money for the 2005 Backpack Challenge...more

Rent A Center To Outfit 33 Boys and Girls Clubs With "RAC Rooms"
The National League West Division Champion Los Angeles Dodgers will partner with Rent-A-Center to refurbish the recreation room at the Los Angeles Boys and Girls Club to kick off their “Dodgers RAC Room” program, the first of three rooms to be improved in the Los Angeles area...more

"It's Hard To Say Goodbye"; TARA Executive Director Lynn Clark Retires
Lynn Clark, Executive Director of TARA (Texas Association of Rental Agencies), said goodbye to colleagues during a retirement party held in her honor at the Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas on September 29th...more

RentDirect Nationwide Offers Customized Store Fixtures For Rental Dealers
"With the expansion of the high-tech, flat panel television market, most rental dealers will need to change the way these products are displayed for maximum consumer support" - James MacAlpine, Executive Director, RentDirect...more

Five Technologies to Watch In 2006; Recordable HD Content, Domestic Robotics, the Digital Home Studio, Interactive Gaming and Innovative Displays
"These five technologies truly illustrate the progress of technology in the digital age. They stood out in our extensive research process as the most likely to make the biggest splash in the consumer market in the year ahead" - Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CEA...moree

Family Of Rent-A-Center Co-founder Frank Barton Make $8.5 Million Gift To WSU; Largest Donation In School History
"My father believed strongly in the entrepreneurial spirit. I am extremely proud to have the preeminent business school in Kansas and a leader in entrepreneurial education named after my father.” - Craig Barton, son of Frank Barton, co-founder of Rent-A-Center...more

Florida Representative Tom Feeney Supports Rental Purchase Agreement Act
"Does the bill increase opportunities for individuals or families to decide, without hindrance or coercion from government, how to conduct their own lives and make personal choices? " - U.S. Representative Tom Feeney (R-FL 24th); #4 of "6 Principles to check"...more

Wisconsin Moves One Step Closer To Mainstream Rental Purchase Legislation
SB268 remains Wisconsin's best bet for making the state safe for rent to own businesses while guaranteeing consumers the same protections offered in 47 other states...more

November 2005

RTO Excellence; Big Ideas In  A Small Town
Each issue of RTO Magazine (Print Edition) recognizes one rent to own owner or operator that has built a successful business through a day-to-day commitment to excellence. Our goal is to recognize achievement, find out what drives success, and to share hints we can learn from and emulate. The November 2005 issue's success story is Joe Burchfield, Right Choice Rentals...moree

Darden Opens Premier Rents in Charlottesville, Virginia
“I got into RTO when I was eight years old,” says Christopher who spent time after school in his parents’ rent-to-own store. “I learned proper care and upkeep of product as well as how to interact with the diverse customer base...more

Drew Gooden to Unveil Cavaliers “RAC Rooms” at Cleveland’s Boys & Girls Clubs
"The Cavaliers’ relationship with Rent-A-Center is another excellent example of the good that can be done in a community and for our children when we partner with organizations that share our vision" - Cavaliers President Len Komoroski...more

ColorTyme’s Harwood Opens 3 New Stores; Largest Franchisee Now Operates 37 Locations
A pilot by trade, Harwood first ventured into the rent-to-own industry in 1985, when fellow pilot and mentor, Eugene Teague, encouraged him to buy three ColorTyme stores in East Texas....more

December 2005

RTO Vet Mark Childers Back In The Game; Opening Three Stores In Alaska
In June 2005, Mark Childers and partner Gary Hughes capitalized on their success as franchisees and sold 27 ColorTyme locations across the Northwest U.S. to Rent-A-Center. After a short break, Childers is now re-entering the rent-to-own industry with his own franchise, opening three new stores....more

North Carolina Orders Payday Lenders To Cease Operations; Companies To Appeal
"Regrettably, the Commissioner's ruling will eliminate one of the few short term financial options North Carolina consumers have available to them" - Kenneth E. Compton, President and CEO, Advance America...more

Rent One Donates Van To Youth Center
One of the goals of the program is to provide the opportunity for over 50 children to visit nursing homes around the Mt. Vernon community...more