Release Details

PLANO, Texas, May 14, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --Rent-A-Center, Inc. (NASDAQ/NGS:RCII), the nation's largest rent-to-own operator, today announced the appointment of two seasoned executives to newly created senior management positions.

Agustín Viola-Prioli

Agustín Viola-Prioli was named vice president, business development. Reporting to Joel Mussat, senior vice president, strategic planning and development, Viola-Prioli brings nearly two decades' worth of domestic and international finance, strategy and general management experience to the position.

Most recently, Viola-Prioli was a senior director at Office Depot where he held a variety of key positions during his eight-year tenure. Before joining Office Depot, Agustín worked for Telefónica de España, leading mergers and acquisitions in Latin America.

Earlier in his career, Viola-Prioli served as a management consultant with McKinsey & Company. There, he assisted global Fortune 100 companies in the U.S., Europe and Latin America with vital strategic and operational issues.

Fluent in Spanish, Viola-Prioli earned an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an electrical engineering degree from Venezuela's Simón Bolívar University.

"Agustín brings vast experience to an important position," said Mussat. "We're pleased to have him on board."

Tim Pitt

Tim Pitt was named vice president of marketing. Reporting to Ann Davids, senior vice president of marketing and chief marketing officer, Pitt is responsible for the development and management of marketing strategies and programs. Additionally, Pitt is charged with oversight of information-driven marketing and sales programs including customer-relationship and sales-lead management.

A 20-year veteran of Jockey International, Inc., Pitt was most recently responsible for marketing and advertising activities across all the apparel manufacturer's brands.

Pitt earned a Masters of Business Administration from The University of Texas at Dallas and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma.

"Tim has the proven know-how to drive results in today's challenging market," said Davids. "Our marketing team is looking forward to leveraging his talent."

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 offer high-quality, durable goods such as major consumer electronics, appliances, computers, furniture and accessories 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.

SOURCE: Rent-A-Center, Inc.

Rent-A-Center, Inc.
Xavier Dominicis, 972-801-1988
Cell: 214-708-7980
email: Xavier.Dominicis@Rentacenter.com