Mark E. Speese (born 1957) is an American businessman who founded Plano, Texas-based rent-to-own company Rent-A-Center in 1986, growing the company to almost 3,000 company-owned stores in the United States and Mexico.
Speese began his career in the rent-to-own industry with the Rent-A-Center brand in January 1978.
After nearly 8 years, he and two colleague left the company to start a competing business known as Vista Rent-To-Own.
Speese was responsible for choosing store locations, negotiating leases, hiring and training personnel, writing the business model and employee handbook, creating advertising, and getting vendors in place.
By 1998, Renter's Choice had grown to be the second largest rent-to-own company in the industry, with 750 stores.