TARA has committed itself to keeping the lines of communication open between government and business.

TARA treated attendees to a golf clinic Saturday afternoon.

RTO Online Multimedia from the recent TARA Legislative Conference in Austin, Texas.

Listen to Podcast interviews with:

Robert Briley, President, TARA

James MacAlpine, Executive Director, RentDirect Nationwide - conference sponsor

Vicky Hale, Executive Director, TARA

Photo gallery TARA Legislative Conference 2007 (29)

Photo galleries from past TARA conventions

TARA 2004 (79) TARA 2005 (142) TARA 2006 (151)

TARA contact information

TARA P.O. Box 1981 Mansfield, TX 76063 Phone: 817.539.0500 Fax: 817.539.0501 Email: vicky@taraontheweb.com Website: www.taraontheweb.com

David Intermont (center), owner of Hometown Sales and Lease in Albuquerque, New Mexico made the trip to the 24th Annual TARA Convention and Buying Show. Intermont is shown here with Dennis Willich (left) and Terry Calendar of Nationwide Southwest at Saturday's vendor reception.

The 24th annual TARA Convention and Southwest Buying Show kicked off Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas at the Doral Tesoro Hotel and Golf Club. Attendees were treated to a golf clinic by the Doral pro, followed by a vendor appreciation reception.

Sunday's events include the TARA Golf Tournament in the morning and a welcome reception Sunday evening. RTO Online will file daily reports from the show through Monday, March 26th. Please check www.rtoonline.com regularly for updates including photo galleries, audio and video podcast interviews.

History of TARA
The concept of renting-to-own (RTO) was new in 1983. Based on the popularity of the concept with consumers and seeing potential growth of the industry, a small group of independent rent to own companies in Texas joined together to form TARA, the Texas Association of Rental Agencies. Their first order of business was to secure state legislation that would protect consumers and insure the long term viability of the rent to own industry in Texas. The timing could not have been better.

In the very next session of the Texas Legislature, a bill was introduced in the House of Representatives that would have essentially banned rent-to-own transactions for home furnishings. The organizers of TARA met with the bill's sponsors and educated them on the rent to own process and its very real need by consumers. As a result, House Bill 2219, a law that secured protections for consumers and business, was passed. The Texas statute has been used a model for other states for over 20 years.

As a result of that first legislative experience, TARA has committed itself to keeping the lines of communication open between government and business.

Left to right; Terry Calendar, RentDirect Nationwide, Greg Abbott, Texas Attorney General, Robert Briley, President of the Texas Association of Rental Agencies at the 2006 TARA Convention welcome reception. See photo gallery here.

According to TARA, the groups mission is a simple one - TARA will create value for members and vendors, insure the legislative future by improving communications, educate dealers, employees & vendors, maintain a proactive legislative agenda, and facilitate the interdependence of members & vendors.

TARA is now the largest state rent to own association in the country. The group holds an annual legislative conference (see story) in Austin and hosts an annual convention and Southwest Buying Show.

Vendors attending this year's TARA convention include: