A Definitive History of Advocacy and Consumer AccessTHE RENT-TO-OWN
REVOLUTION

Prior to joining the association, Charles served as COO, General Counsel, and Vice President of PTS Financial Services, where he played an active role in the rent-to-own industry by representing his company through PTS’s club program offering with APRO member dealers. Charles is an attorney with two decades of experience across a wide variety of areas, including RTO, consumer financial services, antitrust, corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, litigation, franchise law, and privacy law. Charles is a summa cum laude graduate from Mercer University with degrees in Political Science and Religious Studies. Charles graduated law school from the University of Georgia, after which he earned a Master of Legal Studies and PhD in Law from the University of Oxford in England.

Charles is credentialed as a Certified Association Executive (CAE) with the American Society of Association Executives, a Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) with the International Franchise Association, and a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) and Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM) through the International Association of Privacy Professionals. As APRO’s sixth CEO in its 45-year history, he brings a collaborative, member-focused approach to association leadership, emphasizing transparency, advocacy, and value creation. Outside of work, Charles is an active traveler, ultra runner, and open water swimmer.

As CEO and CTO of wowbrands, he leads a global team that fuels retailer growth through conversion-focused web design, integrated CRM systems, and performance marketing campaigns. Under his leadership, wowbrands supports hundreds of RTO storefronts with scalable solutions that blend mobile-optimized websites, paid media, and integrations with point of sale systems.

With a foundation in software engineering and full-stack web development, Ryan has architected and managed complex data systems that power real-time customer engagement and automated lead workflows. His technical expertise allows him to bridge strategy with execution, bringing measurable growth to independent and enterprise retailers alike. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Media Psychology, where his research explores how emerging technologies influence consumer behavior and decision-making in the digital age.