PROG - Key Persons

Brian Garner - CFO

Job Titles:
  • Chief Financial Officer
  • Member of the Executive Management Team
  • Chief Financial Officer of PROG Holdings
Brian Garner has been Chief Financial Officer of PROG Holdings since December 2020. Previously, Mr. Garner served as Senior Vice President of Finance and Accounting, Vice President of Finance and Accounting, and Controller of the Company's Progressive Leasing segment. Prior to joining Progressive Leasing, he was employed by Ernst & Young as a member of the firm's Assurance and Advisory practice, where he provided technical guidance and advised on SEC filings, initial public offerings, and M&A transactions for public and private corporations in Silicon Valley. Mr. Garner has a Master of Science degree in Accounting and Finance from Brigham Young University.

Caroline Sheu

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Audit Committee
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
  • Audit Committee
Caroline Sheu joined the PROG Holdings Board of Directors in 2021, bringing over 20 years of experience transforming marketing organizations to adapt to rapidly changing consumer and technology trends. Ms. Sheu is the Global Director of Digital Marketing for the Google Store, Google's direct-to-consumer channel for Google hardware and service, which includes its Nest, Pixel, and Fitbit brands. Prior to Google, Ms. Sheu was the Senior Vice President of North America Marketing at Ancestry, where she led marketing and consumer experience for the company's North America business. She has also served as the Vice President of Global Digital and Customer Marketing at GAP, where she led digital and mobile transformation, including building and launching the company's first-ever native mobile shopping apps for its GAP, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta brands. Ms. Sheu was also the Chief Marketing Officer at Care.com, a leading online marketplace for care services. Before Care.com, she spent 10 years in digital entertainment and gaming, holding a variety of management roles at Disney Interactive, Sony Network Entertainment, and Electronic Arts. Member of the Audit Committee Member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

Curtis L. Doman - Founder

Job Titles:
  • Co - Founder
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Member of the Executive Management Team
  • Co - Founder and Special Advisor to the CEO
  • Co - Founder of Progressive Leasing
Curt Doman, co-founder of Progressive Leasing, began his entrepreneurial journey at 12 with the founding of SoftArt, a loan document programming solution. Following his success with SoftArt, Mr. Doman earned a Finance degree from the University of Utah while at the same time founding International Document Services, Inc. (IDS), a leading mortgage services provider. Mr. Doman also acquired and developed Checkstop, LLC, before co-founding Progressive Leasing in 1999, effectively creating the virtual lease-to-own industry while emphasizing principles like grit, innovation, integrity, and valuing people. Mr. Doman previously served as PROG Holdings' Chief Innovation Officer, Chief Technology Officer, and Chief Product Officer, and is a member of PROG Holdings' Board of Directors. He also is instrumental in guiding PROG Holdings' philanthropic efforts through its non-profit arm, the PROG Foundation, and its PROG Development Center, which offers young-adults in the greater West Valley City, Utah area access to in-person and hybrid programming, initiatives, and other offerings designed to develop the skills and resources necessary to help positively shape their futures.

Cynthia N. Day

Job Titles:
  • Chairman of the Audit Committee
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Member of the Compensation Committee
  • Audit Committee
  • Chairman of the Audit Committee of Our Board of Directors
  • President and Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Bancshares Corporation
Cynthia N. Day serves as the Chair of the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors. Ms. Day is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Bancshares Corporation and Citizens Trust Bank. She served as Chief Operating Officer and Senior Executive Vice President of Citizens Trust Bank from 2003 to January 2012 and served as its acting President and Chief Executive Officer from January 2012 to February 2012. Ms. Day previously served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and in other capacities of Citizens Federal Savings Bank of Birmingham from 1993 until its acquisition by Citizens Trust Bank in 2003 and previously served as an audit manager for KPMG. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Primerica, Inc., the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and the National Banker's Association. Ms. Day has also served as a member of the Georgia Society of CPAs, the University of Alabama Continuing Education Advisory Board and the United Negro College Fund. Among other qualifications, Ms. Day brings significant management and financial experience to our Board of Directors. Chair of the Audit Committee Member of the Compensation Committee

Daniela Mielke

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
Ms. Mielke joined our Board of Directors in November 2024. She brings over 25 years of leadership experience in digital payments, fintech, and e-commerce. Ms. Mielke is the Managing Partner of Commerce Technology Advisors, LLC, a privately held firm she founded in April 2016, which provides consulting services to technology, financial services, and private equity companies regarding organic and inorganic growth strategies including building payment businesses and using artificial intelligence. Prior to founding Commerce Technology Advisors, Ms. Mielke served as the North American CEO of RS2 Inc., a leading provider of payment processing services in Europe and Asia Pacific, from 2018 to 2020. Previously in her career, Ms. Mielke held senior strategic roles for Vantiv, Inc., PayPal Holdings, Inc. and Visa International. Ms. Mielke also serves on the board of directors of WisdomTree, Inc. (NYSE: WT), an exchange-traded fund and product sponsor and asset manager, and Nuvei (TSX: NVEI and NVEI.U), a global payment technology provider, and previously served on the board of directors of Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: TBBK), a provider of banking solutions for non-bank financial companies. Ms. Mielke brings significant executive management, digital payments, fintech and e-commerce experience to our Board of Directors.

Debra Fiori - CHRO

Job Titles:
  • Chief People Officer
  • Member of the Executive Management Team
Debra Fiori was named Chief People Officer of PROG Holdings in April 2021. Previously, she spent 13 years as the Corporate Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer at Parsons Corporation, where she was responsible for leadership development, succession planning, organizational design, reward systems, talent acquisition, and human resources operations. Ms. Fiori received a Master of Arts in Communication and Media Studies from West Virginia University.

Douglas C. Curling

Job Titles:
  • Chairman of the Compensation Committee
  • Member of the Audit Committee
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Audit Committee
  • Chairman of the Compensation Committee of Our Board of Directors
Douglas C. Curling serves as the Chair of the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors. Since March 2009, Mr. Curling has been the managing principal of New Kent Capital LLC, a family-run investment business, and New Kent Consulting LLC, a privacy and mergers and acquisitions consulting business. From 1997 until September 2008, Mr. Curling held various executive positions at ChoicePoint Inc., a provider of identification and credential verification services that was sold to Reed Elsevier in 2008, including serving as President from April 2002 to September 2008, as Chief Operating Officer from 1999 to September 2008 and as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer from 1997 to May 1999. Mr. Curling also served as a director of ChoicePoint Inc. from May 2000 to September 2008. Mr. Curling served on the Board of Directors of CoreLogic, a New York Stock Exchange listed company providing global property information, analytics and data-enabled services to financial services organizations and real estate professionals, until June 2021, when it became a private company. Among other qualifications, Mr. Curling brings substantial experience in managing and operating businesses with privacy, data analytics and other data-enabled matters to our Board of Directors. His prior service as a chief financial officer provides him with valuable accounting and financial expertise, and his consulting experience provides him with significant mergers and acquisitions expertise. Member of the Audit Committee Chair of the Compensation Committee

Jim Smith

Job Titles:
  • Leader
  • Member of the Audit Committee
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
  • Audit Committee
Jim Smith is a seasoned leader and pioneer in digital, data and financial services. Over the past 30 years, Mr. Smith has been at the forefront of leveraging technology and data in innovative ways and in developing new products. He helped create the first ever internet banking offering in 1995 and led development of many other industry firsts including mobile banking, Apple Pay and Zelle, a digital payments network started by a consortium of U.S. banks, including Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and Wells Fargo. Mr. Smith served in a variety of senior management positions at Wells Fargo & Company, most recently serving as Executive Vice President, Head of Digital & Direct Virtual Channels from June 2014 to September 2020, where he was responsible for enterprise digital strategy, capabilities and channels along with enterprise responsibility for retail contact centers (phone, email, chat) and served on the Wells Fargo & Company Management Committee. Mr. Smith has also served as a founding member of the board of directors of Akoya LLC, a privately held financial data access network that allows aggregators and fintech companies to directly connect with financial institutions to securely obtain consumer-permissioned financial data. Mr. Smith is also an external advisor to Bain & Company, a management consulting firm. Mr. Smith previously served as a member of the board of directors of clearXchange from 2011 to 2015. Mr. Smith is also a mentor for the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University., including head of Enterprise Data & Analytics and head of the Enterprise Patent Office. Mr. Smith's expertise in financial services and operations and his experience driving digital strategy, transformation, and product development in senior leadership roles across the consumer financial service industry adds a deep understanding of those important areas to PROG Holdings' Board of Directors. Member of the Audit Committee Member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

Kathy T. Betty

Job Titles:
  • Chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
  • Member of the Audit Committee
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Member of the Compensation Committee
  • Chairman of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee of Our Board of Directors
  • Compensation Committee
Kathy T. Betty serves as the Chair of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee of our Board of Directors. From 2009 until 2011, Ms. Betty was the owner and Chief Executive Officer of the Atlanta Dream of the WNBA. She also founded The Tradewind Group, an incubator company, where she worked until 2007. Her other experience includes serving as Executive Vice President and Partner of ScottMadden from 1993 to 2000, where she worked on international mergers and acquisitions, and working at Ernst & Young LLP from 1989 to 1993, including serving as one of the first women admitted to the partnership. Among other qualifications, Ms. Betty brings over 30 years of business management and consultancy experience to our Board of Directors. Her leadership positions in the Atlanta community, include serving on the boards of the Chick-fil-A Foundation, the Alexander-Tharpe Fund, Georgia Institute of Technology, and the Board of Councilors of the Carter Center as well as serving on the Board of Trustees for the Georgia Institute of Technology Athletic Association and Board of Advisors for Synergy Laboratories. She has also served on the boards of the Children's Health Care of Atlanta Foundation, YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Atlanta. Ms. Betty brings management, entrepreneurial, financial and accounting experience to our Board of Directors. Member of the Compensation Committee Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

Nate Roe - Chief Commercial Officer

Job Titles:
  • Chief Commercial Officer
  • Member of the Executive Management Team
Nate Roe was named Chief Commercial Officer of PROG Holdings in 2024, following a decade as the Company's Senior Vice President of Sales, where he managed Progressive Leasing's largest retailer partnerships while overseeing new business development. He joined Progressive in 2006 and has held several key leadership positions at the Company throughout that time, including Vice President of Business Development, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, and Vice President of Sales and Operations for the Company's Progressive Payoff division. Mr. Roe graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Science in Business and Finance.

Paul Hamilos

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Executive Management Team
  • President of PRG Ventures
Paul Hamilos is the President of PRG Ventures, the M&A and strategic product development arm of PROG Holdings. He has more than 20 years of experience as an investor, analyst, and dealmaker, with primary expertise in specialty finance and financial technology. Paul has managed more than $4 billion of assets on behalf of endowments, foundations, and other institutional investors and advised on acquisitions and restructurings of public and private companies. Prior to joining PROG Holdings, Paul managed a portfolio of investments for Citadel Global Equities. He is also the co-founder of Finuvo LLC, a specialty lending business focused on providing capital to venture-stage companies. Paul received an MBA with high honors from the University of Chicago and a BSBA, summa cum laude, from the University of Missouri. He is also a CFA Charterholder.

Ray M. Robinson - Chairman

Job Titles:
  • Chairman of the Board
  • Member of the Audit Committee
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Member of the Compensation Committee
  • Member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
  • Chairman of Our Board of Directors
  • Compensation Committee
Ray M. Robinson serves as the Chair of our Board of Directors. Prior to his appointment as Chair, Mr. Robinson was the Company's independent lead director. Mr. Robinson started his career at AT&T in 1968, and prior to his retirement in 2003, he held several executive positions, including President of the Southern Region, its largest region, President and Chief Executive Officer of AT&T Tridom, Vice President of Operations for AT&T Business Customer Care, Vice President of AT&T Outbound Services, and Vice President of AT&T Public Relations. Mr. Robinson is also a director of FTAI Aviation Ltd., a global supplier of aircraft engines, modules and other materials associated with aircraft engine maintenance and removal, and FTAI Infrastructure, Inc., an owner and operator of assets in the energy, intermodal transport and rail market sectors in North America, both of which are public companies. Since 2003, Mr. Robinson has also served as a director and non-executive Chairman of Citizens Bancshares Corporation and its subsidiary, Citizens Trust Bank, the largest African American-owned bank in the Southeastern United States and the nation's second largest. Mr. Robinson previously served as a director of RailAmerica, Inc. from 2010 to 2012, Avnet, Inc. from 2000 to 2018, Acuity Brands, Inc. from 2001 to 2023 and American Airlines Group, Inc. from 2005 to 2023. Mr. Robinson has also been Vice Chairman of the East Lake Community Foundation in Atlanta, Georgia since November 2003. Among other qualifications, Mr. Robinson brings experience in senior management and board service for numerous public companies to our Board of Directors.

Ray Martinez

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Audit Committee
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
  • Audit Committee
Ray Martinez joined the PROG Holdings Board of Directors in 2021. He is the Co-Founder and President of EVERFI, an international technology company driving social change on the most challenging issues affecting society through education. As a leader in digital learning, Mr. Martinez oversees the development of a variety of educational programs related to financial wellness, healthcare literacy, data science, mental health, and other critical skills. EVERFI's courses are implemented in K-12 schools, the workplace, and communities nationwide reaching more than seven million learners each year. Mr. Martinez has also led large-scale strategic partnerships with global financial services companies to reach learners where they live, work, and engage. He has considerable regulatory experience and has worked closely with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and multiple states' Attorneys General on financial literacy matters. Mr. Martinez is a thought leader and frequent speaker and author on topics related to systemic inequality. He also serves on the board of the JumpStart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy in Washington, D.C. Member of the Audit Committee Member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

Robert Julian

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
Mr. Julian joined our Board of Directors in November 2024. He brings over 30 years of experience as a financial executive within Fortune 500 companies. Prior to his retirement in January 2024, Mr. Julian served as the Chief Financial Officer of TheRealReal, Inc. (Nasdaq: REAL), the world's largest online marketplace for authenticated, consigned luxury goods, where he was responsible for developing and shaping company strategy and driving profitable growth. Prior to TheRealReal, Mr. Julian was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Sportsman's Warehouse, from 2019 to 2021, and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, at Deluxe Entertainment Services Group, from 2017 to 2018. Previously in his career, Mr. Julian held senior financial roles for Callaway Golf Company, Lydall Inc., Rockwell International, Honeywell, Cisco Systems, Fisher Scientific and Legrand S.A. Mr. Julian also serves on the board of directors of Shoals Technologies Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SHLS), a leading provider of electrical balance of systems (EBOS) solutions for the energy transition market, as well as Rayton Solar Inc., a privately-held producer of engineered wafers that can serve as the basis for next-generation electronics. Mr. Julian brings significant executive management, financial, retail industry and e-commerce experience to our Board of Directors.

Ryan Ray

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Executive Management Team
  • President of PROG Lending
Ryan Ray is the President of PROG Lending, the lending division of leading consumer fintech company PROG Holdings. In this role he is responsible for managing the Company's lending and credit products, currently comprised of Vive Financial and Four Technologies. Prior to this role, he served as the Company's Chief Administrative Officer for two years and as President of Vive Financial for six years. During that time, he was responsible for overseeing the PROG Holdings' Compliance, Risk Management, and Corporate Communications divisions in addition to his duties with Vive Financial. Mr. Ray joined the Company's Progressive Leasing segment in 2013 as Vice President of Operations, which followed more than a decade of leadership roles with Discover Financial Services. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Finance from the University of Utah and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Sridhar Nallani - CTO

Job Titles:
  • Chief Technology Officer
  • Member of the Executive Management Team
  • Chief Technology Officer / As PROG Holdings
' Chief Technology Officer, Sridhar Nallani is responsible for the development, integration, and innovation of all customer-, partner-, and employee-facing technologies for the Company and its subsidiaries. He was named to his current role in 2023, joining PROG Holdings from leading outdoor retailer Backcountry, where he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. Throughout Mr. Nallani's career he has focused on direct-to-consumer transactions in financial services and retail during time in senior leadership roles at Gap Inc., Charlotte Russe, Macy's, and a number of other companies. Mr. Nallani was named to the 2019 National Diversity Council list of the United States' top 50 CIOs and CTOs and serves as a technology and digital strategy advisor to the Board of Directors of private equity firm TSG Consumer Partners. He received his Bachelor's in Computer Science from Osmania University, Telangana, India, and his Master's in Computer Science from Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, United States.

Steven A. Michaels - CEO, President

Job Titles:
  • Chief Executive Officer
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Member of the Executive Management Team
  • President
Steve Michaels was named Chief Executive Officer of PROG Holdings, Inc. in December 2020, and President of the Company in April 2021. Mr. Michaels, who is also a member of PROG Holdings' Board of Directors, previously served as CEO of the Company's Progressive Leasing segment, and as Chief Financial Officer and President of Strategic Operations, Vice President of Strategic Planning & Business Development, and Vice President of Finance at Aaron's Inc. Mr. Michaels received a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Florida and an MBA from Georgia State University. Steve Michaels has served as the Company's Chief Executive Officer since December 1, 2020. He was also named President of the Company as of April 1, 2021. From July 31, 2020, through November 2020, Mr. Michaels served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company's Progressive Leasing operating segment. Mr. Michaels previously served as the Company's Chief Financial Officer and President of Strategic Operations from February 2016 until July 31, 2020, President of the Company from April 2014 until February 2016, Vice President, Strategic Planning & Business Development from 2013 until April 2014, Vice President, Finance from 2012 until April 2014 and Vice President, Finance, Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership Division from 2008 until 2011.

Todd King - Chief Legal Officer

Job Titles:
  • Chief Legal and Compliance Officer
  • Chief Legal Counsel
  • Member of the Executive Management Team
Todd King was named PROG Holdings' Chief Legal and Compliance Officer following nearly seven years as the Company's Chief Corporate Governance, Securities Law and M&A Counsel. Mr. King also served as the Deputy General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Chief Compliance Officer for Axiall Corporation (formerly known as Georgia Gulf Corporation), a publicly traded chemical and building products company, Vice President and Division General Counsel for The Schwan Food Company, a food manufacturing and distribution company, and as an associate with an international law firm. Mr. King has a BBA in Finance and Juris Doctor degree from the University of Georgia and served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Harold L. Murphy in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

Trevor Thatcher - COO

Job Titles:
  • Chief Operations Officer
  • Member of the Executive Management Team
Trevor Thatcher was named Progressive Leasing's Chief Operations Officer in December 2020. He joined the Company in 2013 as Director of Operations and was named Progressive Leasing's Vice President of Operations in 2015. Prior to Progressive Leasing, Mr. Thatcher served as Director of Operations for Morgan Stanley, Director of Business Activity Management for Citibank's Goldfish Card Services, and Sr. Manager of Direct-to-Consumer Banking Operation at Discover Financial Services. He received a degree in finance from the University of Utah.