April 14, 2026 • 11 mins
What does it mean to leave a legacy in the rent to own industry?
In this special tribute episode of The RTO Show Podcast, Pete Shau honors the life, leadership, and lasting impact of Ernie Lewallen, a respected RTO operator, APRO leader, industry advocate, and one of the driving forces behind the growth and preservation of the rent to own community.
This episode explores how leadership, advocacy, mentorship, and industry stewardship shaped Ernie’s four decade career with UHR Rents, United Household Rentals, and RNR Tire Express. Through stories from colleagues, industry leaders, and longtime friends, listeners will hear how one individual helped influence legislative advocacy, industry standards, RTO World, and the next generation of rent to own professionals.
What You’ll Learn:
- Why industry advocacy and legislative involvement matter in the future of rent to own
- How Ernie Lewallen helped shape APRO, TRIB Group, and RTO World through long term leadership and collaboration
- The role mentorship and relationship building play in creating lasting influence in the RTO industry
- How customer service, integrity, and leadership culture can define a multi decade career
- Why preserving RTO history and honoring industry pioneers is important for future operators and business leaders
Episode Highlights:
- 01:36 – Why Ernie believed the health of the business depended on the health of the industry
- 02:16 – How Ernie helped build RTO World and supported legislative advocacy efforts in Washington
- 03:47 – Why industry respect is earned through leadership, mentorship, and consistency
- 05:23 – How Ernie became one of the strongest advocates for APRO and the rent to own community
- 06:12 – Stories about Ernie’s leadership style, strong convictions, and commitment to the industry
- 07:43 – How Ernie’s influence helped shape RNR Tire Express and future franchise growth
- 08:54 – Reflections from industry leaders on Ernie’s impact on family, leadership, and mentorship
- 09:32 – Why preserving RTO history matters for the future of the industry
Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned:
- APRO leadership and legislative advocacy
- TRIB Group industry collaboration
- RTO World industry development
- Rent To Own Revolution History Project
- Leadership through mentorship and relationship building
- Long term customer service and integrity based operations
- Franchise growth and industry stewardship
- Industry history preservation and legacy storytelling
Closing Insight or CTA
Great industries are built by people willing to lead, mentor, advocate, and protect the future for the next generation. Ernie Lewallen’s story reminds us that leadership is measured not only by business success, but by the relationships built, the standards protected, and the people inspired along the way.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_03 (00:10):
Hello and welcome to the RTO show.
I'm your host, Pete Chao, andtoday's episode is to usher in
the closing of the first RTOLegends series.
This was a project created topreserve the stories of the
people whose leadership,integrity, and commitment helped
build this industry into what itis today.
One of those people is ErnieLlewellyn.
Ernie was more than a storeowner.
(00:31):
He was a leader, an advocate,and an outstanding pillar to the
rent-to-owned industry, and overdecades in this business, his
influence extended far beyondthe stores he operated.
It lived in the people hementored, the principles he
defended, and the daily examplehe set.
Ernie's leadership and love forthis industry were a major
inspiration behind the RTOIndustry History Project,
(00:51):
including this legend series andthe book release, The Rent to
Own Revolution.
Ernie passed away recently, andwhile he is no longer with us,
it is important that his story,his impact, and his legacy
continue to be told.
What you're going to hear is atribute to Ernie Llewellyn and
the mark he left on thisindustry.
Let me tell you a little bitabout Ernie.
He was born on August 15th, 1955in Ashley, Kentucky.
(01:15):
He got into rent owned in 1986with UHR rents, and once he was
in, he was all the way in.
For over forty years he builtand grew the business the right
way.
Whether it was UHR rents, UnitedHousehold Rentals, with RR Tire
Express, he gave forty years ofshowing up, putting in the work,
and doing it with integrity.
(01:35):
But if you only knew Ernie as astore operator, p you probably
only knew part of the picture.
Because Ernie understoodsomething that not every
operator figures out.
That the health of our businessis tied to the health of the
industry.
And that if you care about one,you'd better care about the
other.
So he rolled up his sleeves andhe got involved.
He served in the APRO Board ofDirectors for over 20 years.
(01:58):
He served twelve of those yearson the executive committee.
He was the APRO president from1998 to 1999.
He showed up to legislativeconferences for 15 straight
years, year after year, makingthe trip to Washington to make
sure that lawmakers understoodwhat this industry actually does
for people.
He was involved with the TRIPGroup and the Ohio Renatealers
(02:18):
Association, and when APRO andthe TRIP Group came together to
build RTO World, which is thebiggest event in our industry,
Ernie was one of the people whohelped make that happen.
The industry recognized what hehad to give.
He earned the President's Awardof Excellence in 1996, the Ernie
Tally Lifetime Achievement Awardin 2013, which he said was one
of his proudest professionalmoments, the Steve Krause Award
(02:40):
of Honor in 2025, and aninduction to the April Hall of
Honor.
That's a career that speaks foritself.
But here's what I really wantyou to know about Ernie
Llewellyn.
He was passionate, he wasopinionated in the best way, and
he was generous with his time.
He spoke his mind and he meantwhat he said.
The people who knew him oftendescribed him as someone who
(03:01):
walked into the room and youknew he was there.
Someone who made you feel likewhat you're doing mattered.
Someone who was invested and notjust in the business, but in the
people.
Outside of RTO, Ernie was ahusband of forty-eight years to
his wife Debbie, a devoted dadto three daughters, Heather,
Heidi, and Hillary, a proudgrandfather to five
(03:22):
grandchildren.
Ernie loved to travel.
He loved road trips in a sportscar, and he loved the Beatles at
high volume.
Now, look, I'll be up front withyou.
I didn't know Ernie personally.
I came to know him a lot of theway that you probably did.
Through his achievements,through the way his name came
across in conversations, andthrough the kind of respect
people show when they talk abouthim.
(03:44):
That kind of respect doesn't getmanufactured.
You either earn it or you don't.
Ernie earned it.
And when I set out to do thisepisode, I knew I wanted to be
bigger than just me talkingabout him.
Because the people who reallyknew Ernie, the ones who sat
across from him in boardmeetings, who called him for
advice, who watched him fightfor this industry year after
(04:04):
year, those are the voices thatbelong in this episode.
So I put together a video.
Friends, colleagues, fellowleaders, people who knew Ernie
and wanted to share what hemeant to them.
I think that's worth everysecond of your time.
Take a look.
SPEAKER_04 (04:34):
And Ernie is on top of the elephant.
Listen, if you know Ernie, youknow Ernie did not know normal.
Loud.
SPEAKER_07 (04:43):
His voice carried through a room when you knew if
Ernie was in a room when youwalked into the room.
SPEAKER_02 (04:49):
Ernie was just somebody that in a crowded room
you gravitated to him.
And uh he was always uh he wasalways uh on the rough on the
exterior, but a teddy bear onthe inside.
And uh when there was a room uhand Ernie didn't know you, he
would clear the people out ofthe way and go stick out his
(05:10):
hand and shake it and give you abig bear hug and tell you who he
was, and he would find out whatyou were interested in and he
would talk to you like there'snobody else in the room.
SPEAKER_09 (05:19):
I think his lasting legacy will be uh April.
You know, Ernie was a key uhfounder of that, and he was more
passionate about that than hewas his own business a lot of
times.
I mean, he really he poured hisheart and soul into that.
SPEAKER_00 (05:35):
In Washington, when we went on the uh uh meeting
with our legislators, he he wasthere and he he would explain
and explain and explain what weuh were asking.
SPEAKER_04 (05:49):
He would go to meetings that weren't his to
help people, and he knew thatsome people would not be as
schooled in the subject matter,and so he would go with them and
he would help.
Ernie clearly understood whatthe transaction was versus what
the transaction was thought tobe, and so he was very good in
Washington.
SPEAKER_01 (06:08):
Ernie was a true legend of the industry.
He served as president of Tribb,he served as president of APRO.
Um, and it was he was always onethat was willing to share his
knowledge, his opinions too, ofjust an all-around legend that
really uh truly cared for theindustry.
SPEAKER_08 (06:27):
Believability.
Uh, when he believed insomething, there was no talking
amount of it.
There was absolutely not gonnachange.
If he believed it, he was gonnamake it happen.
SPEAKER_02 (06:40):
You know, Ernie was told, don't touch it, it's just
a prototype.
And then the next thing youknow, of course, he's the last
one to go into the space, andthen all the lights go off.
When you tell Ernie not to dosomething, that was a license to
do it.
SPEAKER_08 (06:55):
And he just looked me in the face.
He said, You know, I don't wantto because I really feel like
it's it's time for me.
But I also don't want to doanything to hurt this industry
or or put anybody in a badlight.
So I'm gonna let you out of yourcommitment.
I want you to change your voteon the next vote.
And I I thought that was justreally big of Ernie to be the
(07:16):
one.
And he just said, if it's agood, if it's the right thing
for the industry, he said, let'sdo it.
And so we got it solved.
SPEAKER_06 (07:22):
The coolest thing was he's a big Beatles fan, and
I walked in there to the firstBeatles album would meet the
Beatles.
Except Ernie's picture was on itas well.
He was the fifth Beatle.
SPEAKER_01 (07:32):
He's a very vocal person, he's opinionated, uh,
but he's also kind, he's soft.
He'll sometimes come back andhe'll start off a little bit
hard and then he softens prettyeasy.
SPEAKER_02 (07:43):
Ernie represented his family uh extremely well,
proud of his uh three daughtersand uh and his wife Debbie
immensely.
So he was a family man first, uha God-fearing man for sure.
SPEAKER_10 (08:01):
And Ernie became our first official franchisee.
And at that point, you know,having Ernie on the team, uh uh
the previous April president,uh, was a boon.
I had no marketing budget.
We had Ernie.
SPEAKER_05 (08:18):
It changed the trajectory of my life, and I
think his memory will forever bestamped in the rent own,
especially R.
SPEAKER_08 (08:28):
He he wrote the entire funeral.
Who's talking here?
Who's talking here, what songswere played.
It was a really beautifulcelebration of life, and I think
Ernie would have just been.
In fact, I know he was happy.
SPEAKER_07 (08:40):
Ernie, I know you're listening.
Have a good old time, but uhwe'll see you another day.
SPEAKER_05 (08:44):
Ernie, I'd like to say thank you for everything
that you did for me throughoutthe years.
SPEAKER_04 (08:49):
I think I I would make certain that Ernie knew he
made a difference.
SPEAKER_08 (08:53):
Ernie.
Our industry is better.
Having experienced your love andyour passion, everybody that had
any chance to to to to be withyour friend is better having
that opportunity.
SPEAKER_09 (09:09):
I think great leaders, great dads, great
husbands um leave a giant holewhen they leave.
I think that Ernie is leaving agiant hole in his family.
Save me a seat at the table onthe other side, brother.
SPEAKER_03 (09:28):
You know, when I started this Legends series, the
whole idea was pretty simple.
Make sure these stories don'tget lost.
Make sure the people who builtthis industry get their moment.
Because too often in anindustry, the people who laid
the foundation don't get nearlyenough credit while they're
still around here.
Ernie was one of those people.
Forty plus years, thousands ofcustomers served, dozens of
(09:50):
industry leaders mentored,countless hours given to
advocacy, to association work,to making sure his industry had
a future worth showing up for.
This is the last episode of theLegends series.
And I think it ends exactlywhere it should, because Ernie
Llewellyn is exactly the kind ofperson this whole project was
created to honor.
We're gonna miss him.
(10:11):
And this industry is going tomiss him a lot.
But the good news, the real goodnews, is that the best legacies
don't end.
They just keep going through thepeople who carry them forward.
Legends aren't defined by titlesor years in the business.
They're defined by the peoplethey lift up, the standards they
protect, and the example theyleave behind.
(10:31):
Ernie Llewellyn's impact on therent-to-owned industry is not
measured in just decades, but inrelationships, leadership, and
the countless lives he'sinfluenced.
His vision and commitment helpedinspire the Rent to Own
Revolution history project,ensuring that the stories of our
industry's pioneers arepreserved, honored, and passed
on.
Ernie's legacy lives in thepeople he mentored, the
(10:54):
businesses that he influenced,and the industry he helped
shape.
Thank you, Ernie Llewellyn, foreverything that you gave Rent to
Own.
Have a great one.
Hello and welcome to the RTO show.
I'm your host, Pete Chao, andtoday's episode is to usher in
the closing of the first RTOLegends series.
This was a project created topreserve the stories of the
people whose leadership,integrity, and commitment helped
build this industry into what itis today.
One of those people is ErnieLlewellyn.
Ernie was more than a storeowner.
(00:31):
He was a leader, an advocate,and an outstanding pillar to the
rent-to-owned industry, and overdecades in this business, his
influence extended far beyondthe stores he operated.
It lived in the people hementored, the principles he
defended, and the daily examplehe set.
Ernie's leadership and love forthis industry were a major
inspiration behind the RTOIndustry History Project,
(00:51):
including this legend series andthe book release, The Rent to
Own Revolution.
Ernie passed away recently, andwhile he is no longer with us,
it is important that his story,his impact, and his legacy
continue to be told.
What you're going to hear is atribute to Ernie Llewellyn and
the mark he left on thisindustry.
Let me tell you a little bitabout Ernie.
He was born on August 15th, 1955in Ashley, Kentucky.
(01:15):
He got into rent owned in 1986with UHR rents, and once he was
in, he was all the way in.
For over forty years he builtand grew the business the right
way.
Whether it was UHR rents, UnitedHousehold Rentals, with RR Tire
Express, he gave forty years ofshowing up, putting in the work,
and doing it with integrity.
(01:35):
But if you only knew Ernie as astore operator, p you probably
only knew part of the picture.
Because Ernie understoodsomething that not every
operator figures out.
That the health of our businessis tied to the health of the
industry.
And that if you care about one,you'd better care about the
other.
So he rolled up his sleeves andhe got involved.
He served in the APRO Board ofDirectors for over 20 years.
(01:58):
He served twelve of those yearson the executive committee.
He was the APRO president from1998 to 1999.
He showed up to legislativeconferences for 15 straight
years, year after year, makingthe trip to Washington to make
sure that lawmakers understoodwhat this industry actually does
for people.
He was involved with the TRIPGroup and the Ohio Renatealers
(02:18):
Association, and when APRO andthe TRIP Group came together to
build RTO World, which is thebiggest event in our industry,
Ernie was one of the people whohelped make that happen.
The industry recognized what hehad to give.
He earned the President's Awardof Excellence in 1996, the Ernie
Tally Lifetime Achievement Awardin 2013, which he said was one
of his proudest professionalmoments, the Steve Krause Award
(02:40):
of Honor in 2025, and aninduction to the April Hall of
Honor.
That's a career that speaks foritself.
But here's what I really wantyou to know about Ernie
Llewellyn.
He was passionate, he wasopinionated in the best way, and
he was generous with his time.
He spoke his mind and he meantwhat he said.
The people who knew him oftendescribed him as someone who
(03:01):
walked into the room and youknew he was there.
Someone who made you feel likewhat you're doing mattered.
Someone who was invested and notjust in the business, but in the
people.
Outside of RTO, Ernie was ahusband of forty-eight years to
his wife Debbie, a devoted dadto three daughters, Heather,
Heidi, and Hillary, a proudgrandfather to five
(03:22):
grandchildren.
Ernie loved to travel.
He loved road trips in a sportscar, and he loved the Beatles at
high volume.
Now, look, I'll be up front withyou.
I didn't know Ernie personally.
I came to know him a lot of theway that you probably did.
Through his achievements,through the way his name came
across in conversations, andthrough the kind of respect
people show when they talk abouthim.
(03:44):
That kind of respect doesn't getmanufactured.
You either earn it or you don't.
Ernie earned it.
And when I set out to do thisepisode, I knew I wanted to be
bigger than just me talkingabout him.
Because the people who reallyknew Ernie, the ones who sat
across from him in boardmeetings, who called him for
advice, who watched him fightfor this industry year after
(04:04):
year, those are the voices thatbelong in this episode.
So I put together a video.
Friends, colleagues, fellowleaders, people who knew Ernie
and wanted to share what hemeant to them.
I think that's worth everysecond of your time.
Take a look.
SPEAKER_04 (04:34):
And Ernie is on top of the elephant.
Listen, if you know Ernie, youknow Ernie did not know normal.
Loud.
SPEAKER_07 (04:43):
His voice carried through a room when you knew if
Ernie was in a room when youwalked into the room.
SPEAKER_02 (04:49):
Ernie was just somebody that in a crowded room
you gravitated to him.
And uh he was always uh he wasalways uh on the rough on the
exterior, but a teddy bear onthe inside.
And uh when there was a room uhand Ernie didn't know you, he
would clear the people out ofthe way and go stick out his
(05:10):
hand and shake it and give you abig bear hug and tell you who he
was, and he would find out whatyou were interested in and he
would talk to you like there'snobody else in the room.
SPEAKER_09 (05:19):
I think his lasting legacy will be uh April.
You know, Ernie was a key uhfounder of that, and he was more
passionate about that than hewas his own business a lot of
times.
I mean, he really he poured hisheart and soul into that.
SPEAKER_00 (05:35):
In Washington, when we went on the uh uh meeting
with our legislators, he he wasthere and he he would explain
and explain and explain what weuh were asking.
SPEAKER_04 (05:49):
He would go to meetings that weren't his to
help people, and he knew thatsome people would not be as
schooled in the subject matter,and so he would go with them and
he would help.
Ernie clearly understood whatthe transaction was versus what
the transaction was thought tobe, and so he was very good in
Washington.
SPEAKER_01 (06:08):
Ernie was a true legend of the industry.
He served as president of Tribb,he served as president of APRO.
Um, and it was he was always onethat was willing to share his
knowledge, his opinions too, ofjust an all-around legend that
really uh truly cared for theindustry.
SPEAKER_08 (06:27):
Believability.
Uh, when he believed insomething, there was no talking
amount of it.
There was absolutely not gonnachange.
If he believed it, he was gonnamake it happen.
SPEAKER_02 (06:40):
You know, Ernie was told, don't touch it, it's just
a prototype.
And then the next thing youknow, of course, he's the last
one to go into the space, andthen all the lights go off.
When you tell Ernie not to dosomething, that was a license to
do it.
SPEAKER_08 (06:55):
And he just looked me in the face.
He said, You know, I don't wantto because I really feel like
it's it's time for me.
But I also don't want to doanything to hurt this industry
or or put anybody in a badlight.
So I'm gonna let you out of yourcommitment.
I want you to change your voteon the next vote.
And I I thought that was justreally big of Ernie to be the
(07:16):
one.
And he just said, if it's agood, if it's the right thing
for the industry, he said, let'sdo it.
And so we got it solved.
SPEAKER_06 (07:22):
The coolest thing was he's a big Beatles fan, and
I walked in there to the firstBeatles album would meet the
Beatles.
Except Ernie's picture was on itas well.
He was the fifth Beatle.
SPEAKER_01 (07:32):
He's a very vocal person, he's opinionated, uh,
but he's also kind, he's soft.
He'll sometimes come back andhe'll start off a little bit
hard and then he softens prettyeasy.
SPEAKER_02 (07:43):
Ernie represented his family uh extremely well,
proud of his uh three daughtersand uh and his wife Debbie
immensely.
So he was a family man first, uha God-fearing man for sure.
SPEAKER_10 (08:01):
And Ernie became our first official franchisee.
And at that point, you know,having Ernie on the team, uh uh
the previous April president,uh, was a boon.
I had no marketing budget.
We had Ernie.
SPEAKER_05 (08:18):
It changed the trajectory of my life, and I
think his memory will forever bestamped in the rent own,
especially R.
SPEAKER_08 (08:28):
He he wrote the entire funeral.
Who's talking here?
Who's talking here, what songswere played.
It was a really beautifulcelebration of life, and I think
Ernie would have just been.
In fact, I know he was happy.
SPEAKER_07 (08:40):
Ernie, I know you're listening.
Have a good old time, but uhwe'll see you another day.
SPEAKER_05 (08:44):
Ernie, I'd like to say thank you for everything
that you did for me throughoutthe years.
SPEAKER_04 (08:49):
I think I I would make certain that Ernie knew he
made a difference.
SPEAKER_08 (08:53):
Ernie.
Our industry is better.
Having experienced your love andyour passion, everybody that had
any chance to to to to be withyour friend is better having
that opportunity.
SPEAKER_09 (09:09):
I think great leaders, great dads, great
husbands um leave a giant holewhen they leave.
I think that Ernie is leaving agiant hole in his family.
Save me a seat at the table onthe other side, brother.
SPEAKER_03 (09:28):
You know, when I started this Legends series, the
whole idea was pretty simple.
Make sure these stories don'tget lost.
Make sure the people who builtthis industry get their moment.
Because too often in anindustry, the people who laid
the foundation don't get nearlyenough credit while they're
still around here.
Ernie was one of those people.
Forty plus years, thousands ofcustomers served, dozens of
(09:50):
industry leaders mentored,countless hours given to
advocacy, to association work,to making sure his industry had
a future worth showing up for.
This is the last episode of theLegends series.
And I think it ends exactlywhere it should, because Ernie
Llewellyn is exactly the kind ofperson this whole project was
created to honor.
We're gonna miss him.
(10:11):
And this industry is going tomiss him a lot.
But the good news, the real goodnews, is that the best legacies
don't end.
They just keep going through thepeople who carry them forward.
Legends aren't defined by titlesor years in the business.
They're defined by the peoplethey lift up, the standards they
protect, and the example theyleave behind.
(10:31):
Ernie Llewellyn's impact on therent-to-owned industry is not
measured in just decades, but inrelationships, leadership, and
the countless lives he'sinfluenced.
His vision and commitment helpedinspire the Rent to Own
Revolution history project,ensuring that the stories of our
industry's pioneers arepreserved, honored, and passed
on.
Ernie's legacy lives in thepeople he mentored, the
(10:54):
businesses that he influenced,and the industry he helped
shape.
Thank you, Ernie Llewellyn, foreverything that you gave Rent to
Own.
Have a great one.
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