Aaron’s Announces Top Performers At National Managers Meeting

Mar 23, 2011

Increased Revenues And Customer Count Lead To
High-Performance Stores In 2010

ATLANTA (March 23, 2011) – Aaron’s, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), a lease-to-own retailer specializing in the sales and lease ownership of residential furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, announced top store and managerial performers at the 2011 Aaron’s National Managers Meeting yesterday in Orlando. Aaron’s reported record revenues and earnings in 2010, experiencing high-performing stores across the U.S. and Canada and an overall customer increase of 10 percent for its Company-operated and franchised stores.

“Aaron’s experienced record performance last year, and we feel we’re on track to do the same in 2011,” said Robin Loudermilk, CEO and President. “We owe our success to our loyal customer base, but also to our employees whose hard work and dedication is never-ending. Our regional and store managers have done an outstanding job of leading their teams, and this event is an opportunity for the Company to show its heartfelt gratitude.”

At the 2011 Aaron’s National Managers Meeting in Orlando, more than 2,000 Aaron’s associates have gathered for a major community outreach project and to learn more about Aaron’s growth plans for the next year.  For the third year in a row, the Aaron’s associates will dedicate one afternoon to community outreach projects during the National Managers Meeting.  This year’s projects benefit military service members, local blood banks, local food banks and area children. Aaron’s associates will invest 4,500 hours and $200,000 in product and service donations, including a check to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, the nation’s top children’s cancer hospital, for $81,200 from funds raised during an employee campaign.

Aaron’s 2010 Top Store and Managerial Performers
PT Rodeo Winner: David St. John – Pearland, TX
Partner: HP/New Age
Service Center: Brendon Phillips – Plainfield, IN
Fulfillment Center: Bob DiMcNeal – Obetz, OH
Field Consultant: John Howard – Atlanta, GA

Outstanding Achievement
Bill Chandler: Director of Construction – Houston, TX   
Kerry Long: Southwest Ops Exec. Asst – Houston, TX
Lee McDowell: Director of Renewal Retention – Marietta, GA
Penny Meegan: Assistant Controller – Kennesaw, GA
Jeremy Meek: Mid-American Ops Merchandiser – Carrollton, TX
Krutika Patel: IT Developer – Kennesaw, GA                          
Robbie Reid: Central Ops Recruiter – Marietta, GA           
Neil Salvador: Southeastern Ops Divisional Sales – Auburndale, FL
Julie Song: Sports Marketing – Atlanta, GA
Tim Walker: Mississippi Valley Ops Analyst – Slidell, LA
Richard Wood: Inventory Analyst – Atlanta, GA               

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Rimco Best Overall Store of the Year 2010
Anthony Galan - Corpus Christi, TX      
Angellena Santiago - Farmington, NM   

Most Improved Store:  Brian Welsh – Ashland, VA
Most Improved Franchise Store: Detri Vigil – Longmont, CO

Franchise Top Ten All Star Store 2010  

  1. Don Taylor: Alliance Rental - Childress, TX
  2. David Qualls: Aspen Way Enterprises - Spokane, WA
  3. Zac Smith: Jenkins Rental LLC – Medford, OR
  4. Nicole Phillips: Aspen Way Enterprises – Spokane, WA
  5. Tony Brown: Arona Corp. – Galesburg, IL
  6. Kenneth Tatum: DPR Ivestments, Ltd. – Fountain, CO
  7. Steve Christean: TUR, Inc. – Minnemucca, NV
  8. Blaine Peterson: NW Freedom Corp. – Milwauki, OR
  9. John Emery: NW Freedom Corp. – Gresham, OR
  10. Scott Wallingford: Watershed Development Corp. – Sterling, IL                   

Company Top Ten All Star Store 2010    

  1. Vance Lamb - Andrews, TX
  2. Joe Julia - Vineland, NJ                
  3. Rodney Vaughn - Oneonta, AL                
  4. Scott Turner - Bastrop, TX                 
  5. Jennifer Lemmons - Jasper, AL                    
  6. Billy Austin - Weatherford, TX         
  7. Christopher Spann - Sherman, TX               
  8. Wade Giles - Auburndale, FL           
  9. Arthur Colona - Laplace, LA                 
  10. Stacy Kuzemchak - Indiana, PA                

 
2010 Triple and Double Diamond Club Franchise
Andrew Davis - Rock Springs, WY          
Jerry Emerson - Portland, OR                  
Gerardo Guerra - Beaverton, OR                
Steve Harris - Elko, NV                         
Feris Khalifeh - Mobile, AL                    
Jason Lane - Watertown, NY              
Dexter McFarland - Plainview, TX                
Mike Scott - Decatur, TX                   
Ray Smith - Lubbock, TX            
 
2010 Triple and Double Diamond Club Company

Jay Alguno - Shelby, NC
Joe Borrego - Odessa, TX
Chris Carter - Laurel, MS
Christopher Chavez - Albuquerque, NM      
Ellis Confer - Memphis, TN
Isaac Ebsen - Denton, TX
Julio Escobar - Las Cruces, NM

Robert Fink - Largo, FL                    
Daryl Franklin - Hobbs, NM                                       
Tony Lara - Midland, TX
Jamie Lively - McComb, MS               
Michael Merritt - Poughkeepsie, NY
Homer Morales - Laredo, TX                 
Robert Moreno - Alice, TX

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2010 Triple and Double Diamond Club Company (continued)

Rob Morris - Winston-Salem, NC
Rudy Pena - Kingsville, TX 
Stephen Roland - Albertville, AL             
Scott Samples – Houston, TX               
James Schweitzer - Brandon, FL

Roy Shameer – St. Petersburg, FL             
Scott Shoemaker - Tampa, FL
Seth Smith - Spring, TX                  
John Torres - Yuma, AZ                   
Israel Vasquez - Seguin, TX                                         

Best Overall Franchise Region of the Year 2010
Tim Wright: NW Freedom Corp South – Vancouver, WA 

Top 5 Franchise Of The Year

  1. Robert Briley & Terry Bilbrey: Briley Investments, Inc (Best Overall Franchise of the Year) – Abilene TX
  2. Joe McFarland: Showcase Home Furnishings, Inc. – Allen, TX
  3. John Childs: NW Freedom Corp – Vancouver, WA                        
  4. Casey Pristou: Watershed Development Corp. – Lake Bluff, IL    
  5. David Lyons: LTL Investments, LLC – Bozeman, MT

Minor League Region of the Year
Jason Caldwell: South Texas Rimco – San Antonio, TX            

Company Top 10 Regions

  1. Roger Estep: East Alabama (Best Overall Region of the Year 2010) – Albertville, AL
  2. Marco Scalise: Tampa Bay, FL                                                   
  3. Justin Hafer: Red River – Gainesville, TX                             
  4. Ryan Malone: South Texas – Corpus Christi, TX                        
  5. David Carter: New Orleans – Slidell, LA
  6. Orlando Maravilla: West Texas – El Paso, TX                        
  7. Luis Chavez: New Mexico – Las Cruces, NM                    
  8. Brock Roberts: South Louisiana, LA
  9. Sam Murdock: Central Texas – Cedar Park, TX                    
  10. Brooks Hartmann: Rocky Mountain – Albuquerque, NM    

Company Top 5 Divisions

  1. Dave Boggan: Mississippi Valley Operations (Best Overall Division of the Year 2010) – Slidell, LA
  2. Dave Buck: Southwestern Operations – Houston, TX
  3. Joe Fedorchak: Southeastern Operations – Auburndale, FL
  4. Jason McFarland: Mid American Operations – Carrollton, TX
  5. Tristan Montanero: Central Operations – Marietta, GA

Best Overall Store of the Year 2010
Joey Dolberry: Briley Investments, Inc - Brownwood, TX      
Vance Lamb: Central Texas Region - Andrews, TX

Daily updates and photos from the 2011 Aaron’s National Managers Meeting in Orlando are posted at http://www.Aarons.com/2011ManagersMeeting.

About Aaron's, Inc.
Aaron's, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), the nation's leader in the sales and lease ownership and specialty retailing of residential furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, has more than 1,800 Company-operated and franchised stores in 48 states and Canada. Founded in 1955 by entrepreneur R. Charles Loudermilk, Sr. and headquartered in Atlanta, Aaron's has been publicly traded since 1982. For more information, visit www.aarons.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Garet Hayes
ghayes@hopebeckham.com
Office: 404.604.2602
Mobile: 770.403.8720