Mike Hickey (audio interview), Vice President of Management Development for Aaron's Sales and Lease Ownership serves on the Homes for the Holidays Board of Directors.

Mike Hickey (audio interview), Vice President of Management Development for Aaron's, presents a check to Warrick Dunn on behalf of Aaron's at Tuesday's event. Hickey serves on the Homes for the Holidays Board of Directors.

Aaron Rents has supported Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Warrick Dunn's Homes for the Holidays since 2002, completely furnishing every home provided by the program. Today, Aaron's will furnish the 84th home in Tampa, Florida. The surprise gift is being announced at 2:30 EST today. UPDATE: See photos from the event here.

Mike Hickey (audio interview), Vice President of Management Development for Aaron's Sales and Lease Ownership serves on the Homes for the Holidays Foundation Board of Directors.

Homes for the Holidays looks for deserving single mothers across the country, helping them acquire a home. The Foundation provides down payment assistance, complete with home furnishings by Aaron's, and everything from toothbrushes to lawn mowers. Since NFL player Warrick Dunn founded the charity in 1998, 84 families have been recipients of the program. Aaron's has been involved with the program since 2002, and has filled all the furniture, appliance and electronic needs of Homes for the Holidays since that time. Retail cost of furnishings donated by Aaron's averages $10,000 per home.

Aaron Rents COO Ken Butler described the program in 2005; "Homes for the Holidays is an amazing organization with the very worthwhile goal of lifting up and recognizing single mothers for their contributions to their families. These mothers and their children will always remember the day they received their home and Aaron’s is humbled by the opportunity to play a role in these heartfelt and uplifting donations."

The Warrick Dunn Foundation is dedicated to providing opportunities for economically-disadvantaged single parents and children who have demonstrated a commitment to achieve financial independence and stability.

Mike Hickey is responsible for recruiting and developing Aaron's managers. He manages 40 staff and 18 recruiters nationwide that look for the best and brightest. Hickey told RTO Online in 2007 that the company's best recruits come from what he terms "CIA" - Caught In the Act of doing something right." Aaron's employees and executives carry CIA cards. As they travel and shop, they look for people that give exceptional service and give them a CIA recruiting card. Employees are paid bonuses for recruiting under the CIA program. Aaron's spends hundreds of thousands of dollars every year with Monster.com, but Hickey says, "It doesn't even come close to offering the value of the CIA program."

"Retailers say 'location location location' - we say that a good manager can make a bad location good."
- Mike Hickey in an interview with RTO Online