PLANO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 23, 2008--Rent-A-Center, Inc. (the "Company") (NASDAQ/NGS:RCII), the nation's
largest rent-to-own operator, announced today that Paula Stern, Ph.D.
has been named to its Board of Directors. The Honorable Paula Stern is
Chairwoman of The Stern Group, Inc., an international advisory firm in
areas of business and government strategy established in 1988. She was
Commissioner of the U.S. International Trade Commission from 1978 to
1987 and Chairwoman from 1984 to 1986. She is Vice-Chair of the Atlantic
Council of the United States and serves on the Board of Trustees of the
Committee for Economic Development and on the Advisory Council of
Columbia University School of Social Work. She is also a member of
Council on Foreign Relations, Inter-American Dialogue, Bretton Woods
Committee, and the High Level Advisory Group for the Global Subsidies
Initiative of the International Institute for Sustainable Development.
Dr. Stern also serves on the boards of Avon Products, Inc. and Hasbro,
Inc.
"I am honored that Paula Stern has chosen to become a member of our
Board of Directors," stated Mark E. Speese, Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer of the Company. "Paula brings extensive
experience in the areas of international business, economics and
government to the Board, and will provide skillful leadership as we
continue to build on our strategic growth initiatives," Speese said.
"Rent-A-Center has established the leading brand in its industry," said
Dr. Stern. "I am very pleased to be joining the Board of Directors of
Rent-A-Center and look forward to making significant contributions in
the coming year and beyond," she concluded.
Dr. Stern was appointed by the Board of Directors to fill a vacancy on
the Board of Directors and will serve as a Class I director until the
Company's 2010 annual meeting of stockholders.
Rent-A-Center, Inc., headquartered in Plano, Texas, currently operates
approximately 3,000 company-owned stores nationwide and in Canada and
Puerto Rico. The stores generally offer high-quality, durable goods such
as home electronics, appliances, computers and furniture and accessories
to consumers under flexible rental purchase agreements that generally
allow the customer to obtain ownership of the merchandise at the
conclusion of an agreed-upon rental period.
CONTACT: Rent-A-Center, Inc.
David E. Carpenter, 972-801-1214
Vice President of Investor Relations
david.carpenter@rentacenter.com
Source: Rent-A-Center, Inc.