We would like to invite dealers to attend the Ninth Annual, Heartland of America Regional Trade Show and Seminar at the Lodge of Four Seasons Resort in Lake Ozark, Missouri. This trade show is for the dealers in Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Missouri. Of course, dealers in other states are more than welcome to attend.  The states planning this trade show want to make this trade show a fun and successful investment for those attending. This show is directed at the store management level and will let owners and managers alike see all of the latest products. This year will feature a new format based on the past dealer requests. It will allow more time in the exhibit hall after the product trainings the day before. MRDA is dedicated to making the 2013 trade show the biggest and best ever.  Please join us in that celebration.  We want to thank APRO for helping to sponsor this tradeshow.

Click here for dealer registration, agenda, and product trainings.

Dear Prospective Exhibitor:

The Missouri Rental Dealers Association (MRDA) is pleased to invite you to participate in the 2013 Heartland of America Regional Tradeshow and Seminar, June 11th-13th at the Lodge of the Four Seasons in Lake Ozark, Missouri.  MRDA and our board of directors are dedicated to making the 2013 tradeshow the biggest and best ever.  By exhibiting at this tradeshow you will have an excellent opportunity to make new contacts with rental dealers in the region and be able to showcase your company's products and services.

Please click on the links below for registration and tradeshow information.  The next page has further exhibitor information as well.

Full Packet - Agenda, Registration, Sponsorship

Layout of Booths at Tradeshow

 

Attention:  All Missouri Rent-To-Own Dealers and Vendors:

You are invited to attend the 2013 Missouri Rental Dealers Association's (MRDA) Annual General Membership meeting and seminar. Hotel rooms are still available at the group rate. We would like to thank the following sponsor: Platinum level: RentDirect Nationwide, Silver level: Twin-Star International and Bronze level: Bemco Mattress

Agenda/Meeting information and Sign up - click here or go to next page to view

Romine elected; Conseco defeated

Taking the Pulse

Gary Romine

Long time Missouri RTO Dealer and past APRO President Gary Romine of Show Me Rent to Own, was handily elected to the Missouri Senate 3rd District Tuesday with 54 percent of the vote over Democratic challenger and state representative Joe Fallert.

Romine could not be be reached by press time.

Democrat Pete Gallego closed the gap on incumbent and RTO Bill sponsor Francisco "Quico" Canseco to win a hotly-contest battle for Texas' largest congressional district with 50 percent to Canseco's 46 percent. Three percent was claimed by Libertarian Jeffrey Blunt and one percent was claimed by Green Party candidate Ed Scharf.

Canseco had enjoyed a solid lead at the start of the vote count with 55 percent of votes. About an hour later, he fell to 49 percent of votes to Gallego's 47 percent.

The two were neck and neck after most of the races had already been called. Just before midnight, Gallego sealed the race for district 23.

Canseco will continue as the sponsor of HR 1588 until the the end of the current session Dec. 31, 2012. A new sponsor will be considered by rent to own leaders in the next session of Congress when a new bill will be introduced.

Here's the link:  http://www.rtohq.org/news/10016/15/Romine-elected-Conseco-defeated/

"Canseco was a champion of our industry who helped pass our bill out of committee which hasn't happened since 2001," said APRO Government Affairs Director Richard May. "Small business lost a true champion."

If you've always wondered how past presdient John Cleek, Jr fills his time when not working, you'll find him wearing donned fedoras, glitter pants and black loafers performing Michael Jackson hits with his son.  His son Johnny and he performed at the vintage Blue Note Theatre in Columbia Missouri to dance and sing Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean" for a performance concert benefiting a local youth theatre program. Here's the link.  Enjoy.

http://youtu.be/1Ba7R3QYY-g

Gary Romine of Farmington-based Show Me Rent To Own, beat Terry Varner in the GOP primary in Missouri's 3rd Senate District Tuesday night.  Romine says running a positive campaign was one of the keys to his victory.

"With a humble heart I'd like to start by saying thank you to the people of the 3rd Senate District," Romine wrote on his Facebook wall. "Without you, the voters, I would not be in the position I am today. "To my family and friends for all their support, love, prayers and time during this election...Thank you!"

Romine reports he is "geared up" and ready to begin the next leg of his campaign when he  will face Democrat Joseph Fallert, Jr in the general election in November.

Join Romine's Facebook page here.

 

Attendees at the Heartland of America Regional Trade Show in Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri made the their final day count placing hundreds of purchase orders with the 85 vendors across the 70-booth convention hall at the Four Seasons Lodge Thursday.

View tradeshow photos here.

The 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. show marks the final day of the revamped two-day business/pleasure convention which, this year, marked the 25th anniversary of host organization the Missouri Rental Dealers Association.

"It's been a really great show," said MRDA President J.C. Cox. "We're getting a lot of good feedback about the new show schedule, which we hoped would allow for greater attendance for the vendors. We're very pleased with the turnout and especially with the first time vendors and dealers. We're always proud to bring new members into the family of this landmark state association."

 

 

The industry's longest running regional trade show kicks off with extra flair this year as it also commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Missouri Rental Dealers Association -- one of the most active, influential and consistently recognized state associations.

Dealers from Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Missouri will head to the scenic Lodge of Four Seasons Resort in Lake Ozark, Missouri June 13-14 to mix business and pleasure with vendor meet and greets, product trainings, four man scramble a bass fishing tournament.

 

Download the brochure with schedule and registration info.

If you're a vendor, and want to have the ability to advertise on the MRDA wesbite as well as receive an annual discount, then please click the link below. You can get $150 off of the original price to advertise if you make your move from June 14-July 14, 2012.  With this you can attract many dealers across the country who view the MRDA website regularly for legislative news, industry news, and event updates.

Click here for a sign up sheet!

We would like to invite dealers to attend the Eighth Annual, Heartland of America Regional Trade Show and Seminar at the Lodge of FourSeasons Resort in Lake Ozark, Missouri. This trade show is for the dealers in Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Missouri. Of course, dealers in other states are more than welcome to attend. The states planning this trade show want to make this tradeshow a fun and successful investment for those attending. This show is directed at the store management level and will let owners and managers alike see all of the latest products. This year will feature a new format based on the past dealer requests. It will allow more time in the exhibit hall after the product trainings the day before. MRDA is celebrating its 25th Anniversary as an association this year and is dedicated to making the 2012 trade show the biggest and best ever. Please join us in that celebration. We want to thank APRO for helping to sponsor this trade show.

To see Event Schedule and/or Register as a Dealer click here!

Details of events on Next Page!

Dear Prospective Exhibitor:

The Missouri Rental Dealers Association (MRDA) is pleased to invite you to participate in the 2012 Heartland of America Regional Tradeshow and Seminar, June 12th-14th at the Lodge of the Four Seasons in Lake Ozark, Missouri.  MRDA and our board of directors are dedicated to making the 2012 tradeshow the biggest and best ever.  By exhibiting at this tradeshow you will have an excellent opportunity to make new contacts with rental dealers in the region and be able to showcase your company's products and services.

Click here for Vendor Policies and Registration

The Missouri Rental Dealers Association contributed 24 computers to Joplin; not just to the Four State Home School Program for a new computer lab that hosts 50 plus students and adults for developing and continuing education, but also Americorps Information Resource Center who needed 12 computers to assist Joplin to get back on it's feet.

Click here for more info.

Missouri Rental Dealers Association Annual Meeting, Hampton Inn & Suites, Columbia, Missouri. For more information, please contact Ken Steiner at 573/442-2963.

The 2011 Missouri Rental Dealers Association (MRDA) seminar on legal issues in RTO is set for September 20 and 21 and is free to all MRDA members.

The seminars to be conducted by APRO Legal Counsel Ed Winn III on general RTO Legal Topics and collections are set for Sept. 20 at the Holiday Inn North I-44 in Springfield, Missouri and Sept. 21 at the Holiday Inn South County Center in St. Louis.

 Sleeping Room Reservation Deadline: 30 Days before meeting.

 Download full registration information and brochure here or call  573/442-2963 or 573/489-0622 (cell) for more information.

Why become a member?

There are benefits for both vendors and dealers in the Heartland area to become members of the MRDA. Besides our successful annual tradeshows and educational seminars, we offer so much more to our members through constant support.  With our proactive MRDA Board, we are always looking to assist and improve our relationships, networking, legislative awareness, and give the support to anyone or business that is a part of the rent-to-own industry.

Click here for Dealer Tradeshow Packet and Information

Click here for Vendors Tradeshow Full Packet for Exhibiting/Registration and Exhibit Material Handling Form

Please read more, to see some testimonials from some of our long term vendors about our upcoming Heartland Tradeshow!

 

Heartland Furniture and Appliance of Dexter was named "Business of the Year" by the Dexter Chamber of Commerce Saturday, Feb. 5.

The company -- which consists of three stores in southeastern Missouri including Doniphan, Piedmont and Dexter -- has been part of the Dexter community for the past 14 years.

 

MRDA President John "Tiger" Cleek Jr. - "Missouri was honored to receive the State Association of the Year award for the 5th time and I would like to thank all of our board members and officers for their hard work this year.  This year was quite eventful as we donated 35 computers to a middle school in Fredericktown, MO as part of our annual Computers 4 Kidz program.  In June we hosted the 6th Annual Heartland of America Regional Tradeshow and Seminar at the Lake of the Ozarks and had one of our best shows ever with approximately 260 attendees.  We would like to thank all of the vendors who participated in our show and especially the ones who provided sponsorships for our events.  One of our major accomplishments this year was the design of our new MRDA website.  Thanks to APRO and Imagery Marketing, plus with the efforts of our communications chairman, Macy Mitchell of All American Rental, we were able to get a first class website for our state association at a very reasonable rate of $1800. Coming this fall in September we will continue our fall training in St. Louis with a 1 day training seminar featuring 4 different vendors and store level employees will be able to attend this event for free as members of MRDA.  We also owe a great amount of gratitude to Ken Steiner, our Executive Assistant, as he plans and organizes all of our events and makes our jobs easy."

A quote follows next from APRO Executive Director Bill Keese on the success of the MRDA...