Case Study: Rent-A-Center

The Presidents' Forum of Dallas
April 22, 2009

Mark Speese
Chairman & CEO
Rent-A-Center, Inc.

Speaker Biography:
Mark Speese is the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer at Rent-A-Center, Inc., a position he has held since 2001. Previously, Mr. Speese served as its president, chief operating officer and vice chairman.

In 1986, he and two partners started Vista-Rent-To-Own with 15 stores in New Jersey and Puerto Rico. A series of acquisitions and name changes through the years has resulted in the company we know today as Rent-A-Center.

As Rent-A-Center’s chief executive, Mr. Speese heads a workforce of more than 18,800 co-workers at more than 3,000 stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

He was named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2005 for Retailing. Mr. Speese is an active member of the Dallas Citizens Council. He also serves on the board of directors for:

• Collin County Children’s Advocacy Center in Plano, Texas,
• Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), an international organization which educates young people about free enterprise and;
• Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce.

In 2007, Mr. Speese received the Plano Chamber of Commerce’s Business Executive of the Year Award. The Collin County Children’s Advocacy Center honored Mr. Speese and Rent-A-Center for philanthropy at its 14th Annual Appreciation Luncheon.

Mr. Speese resides in Plano with his wife Carolyn, and has two daughters and one son.

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