Legacy Of Service: The History Behind the Kirk Kaye Volunteer Award

Some people leave a résumé. Others leave a wake of better days behind them. That’s the kind of legacy we’re talking about with Cecilia Kay as she shares the story of her late husband, Kirk Kay, a rent-to-own leader remembered for putting people first long before it was a slogan.

We trace Kirk’s path from First American Rental in Atlanta to opening Gator Rents in Daytona Beach, including what it really takes to jump from corporate operations into ownership. Cecilia explains how Kirk built a store from the ground up with a business plan, funding, renovations, branding, and a family-first approach that made customers feel like neighbors. Along the way, we dig into his leadership style: high expectations paired with real encouragement, mentorship, and the belief that relationships matter more than spreadsheets.

Then we get to the heart of why FRDA honors him through the Kirk Kaye Volunteer Award. Cecilia shares what she learned after his sudden passing, the calls and stories that revealed how widely he was loved, and how she and her children now choose the award recipient each year based on character and the underlying spirit of service. We also talk about the roots of his giving, his commitment to Big Brothers Big Sisters, quiet acts of generosity, and the conviction that led him to mission trips to Haiti.

If you care about the rent-to-own industry, customer relationships, community service, and the kind of leadership people actually remember, this conversation will stick with you. Subscribe, share the episode with someone who leads a team, and leave a review to help more people find these stories.

Transcript

Welcome And Why Kirk Matters

Pete Shau 0:07

Hello and welcome to the RTO show. I'm your host, Pete Shao. And listen, today we have a story. It's something that every time that we go to FRDA, every time that I'm a part of what happens at FRDA, I hear this story. It's one of the most amazing things that I've come across. The love, the respect, and what comes out of it every single year is just amazing. You know that Paul Mativier is a friend of the show. I talked to him a lot. He was the one that actually talked to me about this. And after seeing it, I had to talk to Cecilia Kay about what's going on and get her side of the story because it's such an amazing and touching story. So as I have her here, we're actually talking about Kirk K and some of the things that he did in his life. And to be honest with you, amazing things. Somebody who gave back to Rent2Own in an absolute amazing way. But not only that, gave back to the community. He was so much involved in the community, just like we like to do in Rent to Own. And you guys know what I'm talking about. Every year, we like to be involved in Thanksgivings. We like to be involved in Christmases. We like to be involved in those, you know, those special days that make our customers happy. Birthdays, the anniversaries, the days to get the first car, whatever the case is, we want to be a part of that. Well, Kirk did just that. And not only did that, he did that well at being a part of the industry, not only doing an amazing job, he was also a family man. Great family, great legacy that he's left behind us. Unfortunately, he's no longer with us, but talking to us now is his wife, Cecilia Kay, who has done nothing but amazing work since then and honoring what he's done for us and what he's done with his communities. Cecilia, how are you doing today? How are you? How is the world today with you?

SPEAKER_00 1:50

My world is doing really good. It's really great. Thank you for asking. I've it's been five years since he's passed, and it was a really hard road for me and for the children, but we've really um have are flourishing now. And so I'm just so excited to be here today and to share Kurt's story with you.

Pete Shau 2:11

Well, just to give you guys a little bit of backstory, he was vice president of operations and the first American rental in Atlanta, which is a success on its own. But then he opened up later on Gator Rents in Daytona Beach, which I definitely want to get into about that because I actually have family in Daytona Beach as well. So I yeah, so uh, you know, I I really the thought of just having a little bit of history out there and then being able to kind of to venture off a little bit, Kirk was definitely known for his generosity. But as this came out, uh being at FRDA, there was an award listed in his name, the Kirk K Award. And so we'll get into that in a little bit. But starting from his his career and everything that he's done, what stands out most about Kirk and his the way he was a volunteer and the way he did things?

SPEAKER_00 2:58

Well, it was his true nature. I mean, it it was it was something that came very natural for him. And he was always thinking of others before himself. And he always had a really great talent to see if someone needed anything and to make their day just by, you know, talking to them. And he always did a lot of jokes. He had a great sense of humor,

Kirk’s Rent-To-Own Career Path

SPEAKER_00 3:25

and he always made everyone around him feel special. So that was truly just who he was. I mean, that was the the man that I fell in love with, and he always just always made me smile and laugh every day and made me feel special. And I really enjoyed every moment we had together.

Pete Shau 3:48

Really did. Well, on top of being an excellent rent-to-owned dealer, yeah. He was a spotter at the Daytona International Speedway for NASCAR. He was a commissioner of the Greater Daytona Beach Fantasy Football League, which you know anybody knows. I said he loved football. He was also he also personally coached his children's softball teams and and and what was it, softball and basketball teams.

SPEAKER_00 4:10

And basketball, yes, and basketball.

Pete Shau 4:12

Where Cecilia, where did he find time to do? I'm I I run a podcast, okay, and I have a full time. And let me tell you, I am always running up against time. How did Kirk manage to do so many things and get it right?

SPEAKER_00 4:27

Well, you know, when we first started dating, he was so busy and with um with First American Rillem, he was traveling a lot. He was we rarely got to see each other in with our first few months when we were dating and everything. So when he s opened up his own store, um, it was so nice because he got to come home every night, you know? And so we just made the most of all of that whenever he got home at night. And you know, you really have to have a good team player, partner, not team player, but partner when you want to go and do certain things and achieve different goals and just expand your life. Because someone on the other side's got to be behind the scenes, you know, cooking and taking care of the kids and, you know, helping them with their homework, make sure they bathe every night and being a chauffeur. But, you know, so we were really a good team in that regard because when he was doing different things and um different hobbies and stuff, I would, whenever I needed to do something or it's something I wanted to do, he would step up and he would be behind the scene kind of guy. So it really kind of worked for you know, but for the both of us. We were really a great team and we respected one another. And I I would have to say the 35 years of us being together, we rarely said no to each other. It's just it's always like, all right, is that what you want to do? You really want to do? All right, well, let's see if we can do that.

Pete Shau 6:01

I love that. I so let's frame this for somebody who has never met Kirk, we're putting him on the podcast, we're talking about him. How would you introduce the thought, the idea of Kirk? How would you express that to somebody and say, this is who he is? I'm gonna introduce this person into the world. How do you do that?

SPEAKER_00 6:24

That's a good question. Um he was he was just such an honest and genuine person, and smart and trustworthy and so much fun. I mean, his his sense of humor was incredible. And the way he thought about things just made you know that he was a really special person. That you just don't I've never met another person like him ever in my entire life. And I've met a lot of people. And he just hardworking, his ethics were off the chart, and he was very loving husband and father, and just yeah. And he was he really, just really loved people is the best way to put it. He really loved people, and there was just nothing that he wouldn't do for someone.

Pete Shau 7:15

I, you know, every time that I hear a story about Kirk, it just it it's always an amazing story. It's never been a story where I'm like, that sounds pretty good. No, it's it's like it's always something that he did, something that changed somebody's life, somehow the way he was. You know, describe to me a little bit. He was in corporate operations, and then he goes down to he does his own thing, like you said. He opens up the Sartio shop. Like, what do you remember about that leap to from being in the corporate world to literally running your own location? I know you said that he got to come home every night, which is always a benefit. But I mean, it it's also a big leap, right? Because now instead of being in a corporate location where you have an HR department, you have somebody that takes care of the bills, you have accounting, you have a marketing, you have this the spend. Now it's all you. So it goes from 100% being involved in that corporate life to Kirk is the man, right? He's he's the one running it from A to Z. How did that what do you remember about that change and that leap into ownership and and what was that like?

SPEAKER_00 8:15

Pure excitement. He was so excited about being an owner. Now you have to remember when he first started rent-to-own, and you know, the first time he ever started working in the rent-to-own industry, he was only 20 years old. And it was him and Matt McCullough and Audrey McCullough and him. And they had two stores, and you know, he did it all. They did it all between the three of them. And then they started hiring more people and they just grew from there. But I mean, he was doing it all. He was delivery guy, he was the hiring guy, he was the, you know, taking the orders and, you know, he was doing it all, even at 20. So when he made, but he always wanted to have his own. So when he made that leap, you know, it was pure excitement. I mean, he wrote his own business plan. Um, he got all the funding for his store. He renovated it all himself, you know, and created his own logo, did his own logo for all his marketing materials and everything, and just a signage. And it became a family venture because the kids would love to go there and all his customers knew the children, they knew me.

The Leap Into Store Ownership

SPEAKER_00 9:30

And he just he that was probably the best years of his life. He loved it. Just absolutely loved it.

Pete Shau 9:37

I want to go off the I want to go off the side a little bit. I want to ask you a question.

SPEAKER_01 9:41

Okay.

Pete Shau 9:42

Gator is a very specific thing.

SPEAKER_01 9:45

Where did where did the name Gator Reds come from?

SPEAKER_00 9:49

Well, he had a vision of you know, he's a big Tennessee fan. Oh my gosh, right? And Tennessee and Florida do not like one another.

Pete Shau 10:00

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 10:01

Not at all. But he felt like if he was in Florida, he wanted to, you know, Daytona is kind of close to Gainesville, not too close, but I mean, you know, kind of close. But he wanted to maybe if his vision was he could go from state to state and work with the SEC schools and their mascots and everything, and have it, you know, seminal rents or gator rents or hurricane rents or anything. He just sort of separated himself from his Tennessee, which was hard, because back then when he opened it, it was Steve Spurrier and he was constantly digging in University of Tennessee. I mean, I remember Steve Spurrier saying one time, uh, you can't spell uh the citrus bowl without UT.

The Story Behind Gator Rents

SPEAKER_00 10:52

They were always beating us and we always ended up in the citrus bowl every year. So uh that was kind of hard for him to swallow, but that was how it that was his vision, was and that's how he came up with Gatorants.

Pete Shau 11:06

So he put it all aside, but he just to kind of sneak in there and get a get something working out. How far did that go? Because I mean it later on, I do know that you know he ended up being a franchise consultant with with Buddy's Home Furnishings. So like did was it was it hard, was the SEC just hard to to give out those kind of names? And I imagine they're probably they're probably very hard to to to work with on certain things, but that's probably true.

SPEAKER_00 11:30

But he it just got to the point to where we um we we just stayed more focused on the children and family life. I mean, he could have friends, you know, broke out and had all these different stores and all this. And some di and I remember a few years ago, he was like, I didn't achieve everything I wanted to achieve. And I said, you know, you really kind of did because you were home every night. You were the center of the family. You got to watch your children grow up every day, and you got to participate with everything that they did, and you were always here for your family. And I said, To me, that was the greatest achievement of your life.

Pete Shau 12:08

It's amazing of uh, you know, to say that is to be amazingly blessed to, you know, some people say that uh wealth is in the riches. I think wealth is in the family. Wealth is in your legacy, wealth is in what you know you can say that you did but by raising children, by having, you know, an amazing relationship with the people around you. It makes a difference. Uh it really does. Was there a particular moment in his career that you remember, maybe in even for you, that you felt like was the exact highlight, something that you were really proud of, or maybe something that he was really proud of that he mentioned to you during his career that kind of stood out like, this is it. I have my own location, or maybe this is it. I I I have my location, and now I'm I'm ready to back away and do something less. Like, was there a moment that either maybe you guys agreed on it, maybe you didn't, but there was a moment for him, or maybe a moment for you that you said, This was it, this was the pinnacle.

SPEAKER_00 13:02

Well, we definitely both agreed to buy Gator the store and to start his own. I mean, we never did anything without discussing it first and agreeing with the both of us what our expectations were and our goals and dreams were. And we always made sure the other one was supporting that and and talk about our the things that we're gonna feel good about it and maybe things we're not gonna feel good about it. So we were always very open and honest and up front. I think to him, opening up gator rents had to be the highlight of his career. And also when he reached like the 10-year or 20-year anniversary with Gator Rents was always but you know, even before that, during the corporate years with First American Rental, he was very proud of uh them making the Forbes 500 privately held fastest growing companies in the in the nation. And they did that three years in a row.

Pete Shau 14:00

Oh, wow.

SPEAKER_00 14:01

So um, yeah, so he was very proud of that. And rightly so.

Pete Shau 14:06

Rightly so, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:07

Yeah, yeah.

Pete Shau 14:08

Wow. Okay. So you were mentioning this a little bit in the green room before we were talking, but what kind of leader was Kirk? What kind of manager was he to the people around him? If if you were to say his leadership style and and what he did, if if we were to just randomly call somebody that worked for him, what would they say about Kirk's leadership?

SPEAKER_00 14:27

He was a great encourager and just really gave everyone um and

Career High Points And Leadership

SPEAKER_00 14:33

had their back and was constantly not only their boss, but he was their friend as well. But he was tough and he really expected a lot uh out of all of his employees and store managers and things like that. But he really inspired his employees. He was a great encourager and it's and inspired everyone around him and made them as good or better than him. It didn't matter to him. He didn't care if they were had more achievements than him. He was uh always thinking that everyone that you touch in your lives, if they achieve greatness or they achieve this and that, then that's more important than you you being recognized for doing anything.

Pete Shau 15:23

Aaron Ross Powell Well, being a great leader, a great mentor is is so important in today's world. We're lacking it in a lot of areas, you know, especially with our younger generations. And I wish that that I could do more than what I am. I probably could do more. I'm not a kirk, and I wish I was, because I know he did an amazing job. But you know, there there is definitely leadership and mentors that are needed out there every single day. And and I think that, you know, it's a blessing that he was able to do it. You know, if did you keep in touch with any of the employees after the after the fact? Did did any of them, you know, do you do you have a relationship with any of them out of what happened at Gator Rents and now, you know, or anything like that?

SPEAKER_00 16:02

Um unfortunately, the one man that his name was Nick, I've lost track of him. I've tried to reach him and find him, but I can't find him and locate him anymore. He really was one of the longest employees there at Gator's. I am still in contact with some of his employees that he had at First American Rental. I talked to one a couple of weeks ago to help me with some of the timelines and different things like that, because he was probably one of the first David Oliver was probably one of the first hires that Kurt did at First American Rental. And it was way before I started working there. So I got a lot of information and stuff from David.

SPEAKER_01 16:44

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I didn't know this. You worked for Rent to Own?

SPEAKER_00 16:49

I worked at First American. That's how Kurt met me. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:53

You want to hear how we met? Absolutely. You can't you can't say that you worked for Rent to Own and not tell me how I didn't know that.

Pete Shau 16:59

That's amazing. So how did that happen?

SPEAKER_00 17:01

Yeah, so he always loves telling this story. He really did. For him, he said it was love at first sight. But I was there applying for a job for Audrey McCullough, administrative assistant. And so I was sitting in the lobby, and Kirk and David Oliver were coming in from lunch, and they walked right past me and they said hello, and I said hello. And then Kirk walked straight back to Audrey's office. And he goes, There's a girl out there in the lobby. Is she here for that job that you've got? She goes, Yes. And he goes, Well, if you don't hire her today, I'm gonna quit. I'm gonna give you, I'm gonna sign my job. You'll never see me again. Blah, blah, blah. And she's looking, goes, Are you yes, I'm serious? And she goes, Well, I haven't even looked at her resume. And he goes, I don't care if she can type. You're hiring her. And of course, she did. Of course, then I could type. I was a really good assistant. And it, you know, the rest is history kind of thing.

Pete Shau 18:07

Well, how long did you stay there for?

SPEAKER_00 18:08

Just a couple of years. I mean, you know, I I'm had to go work somewhere else because, you know, we started having a relationship, and you know, you're not supposed to really have a relationship, especially with the executive level. And I found another job somewhere else. Yeah.

Pete Shau 18:24

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How Cecilia And Kirk Met

Pete Shau 19:05

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APRO Membership Message

Pete Shau 20:28

and done and the lights turned off and he got he got to close the door and finally kind of just be you and him? What kind of person was that?

SPEAKER_00 20:35

You mean when he came home at night? Yeah meaning.

Pete Shau 20:39

You know, because some some people have that, you know, at work they have to be I wouldn't say somebody that they're not, but there's a there's a portrayal of certain things, right? If you if you were a general, you have to be that stern, you know, this is the way it's gotta be. And it's not necessarily the person that comes home, but it is a person that's forward-facing, whether you're on TV, whether you're, you know, a general, whether you're in sales, you know, sometimes you got to put that forward. Was he that same person when he got home? Was he was he just as wild and crazy, or was he did he get was he like a laid back, timid person? Like what kind of person was he?

SPEAKER_00 21:09

Well, he was never like that at Gator Rents. He was never that person. Now, he was that person at first American Rental, I have to admit to that. But then he was just himself, you know, and he was just fun-loving and wanted to go and do things. And when he was at Gator's, the way he was at home was the same way he was at Gator's. And that's why his customers just adored him and loved him. They would actually would come to want to come to make a payment on their account just so they could see him. Because he would cut up with them and they would have such a great time. And uh he did have this, I have to tell you this story. You did have this one lady, sweet lady, that was a customer. And every time you called her on her phone, she would Always answer the phone and say Jesus is Lord. That's how she answered the phone. She didn't say hello. She said Jesus is Lord. And she just loved Kirk. She called Kirk Mr. Kirk, Mr. Kirk. That's what she'd call

Who Kirk Was After Hours

SPEAKER_00 22:13

him. So every year at Easter, Kirk always made sure he would call her that Saturday before Easter because she would answer the phone and say, Jesus is Lord. And Kirk would always say, Because he is risen. And she would just laugh and scream out. She goes, Is that you, Mr. Kirk? And he goes, Yes, me. He just had that kind of personality. It was so big. His personality was huge. I mean, just a shining star. And if you were lucky enough to know him and be with him, boy, you know you were around something really special. Yeah.

Pete Shau 22:50

And he was so so I hear. I mean, I I always hear that, you know. Where where do you think where do you think his instinct to give back to his community and his family and everything came from? Where where where was that? Was that an innate thing that was inside of him all the time? Did he get that from somebody to just always want to give back and be positive and leading in the community?

SPEAKER_00 23:16

And very involved in Kirk's life. You know, his father, his parents divorced when he was 13. So that's a rough age for your parents to be s and he moved and his father moved to another state. So he only got to spend a couple of weeks out of the summer with his dad every year. And so they just weren't very close at all. And so his mother was very instrumental in how he how he turned out and the way he is today. And I think the one of the big reasons why he got so involved with big brothers, big sisters is because all the men in his neighborhood when his father left stepped up to be the father figure and the male figure in Kirk's life, you know, showing him how to fix his car or how taking it, you know, be there with him when he trying to build his little derby for Boy Scouts or, you know, taking them to wrestling matches. And so I know Kirk always remembered that. And he he would talk to me about that. So I think even at a young age of 23, he made that huge commitment to be a big brother. And I think it was because he knew what it was like personally, you know, to not go through those years without a father and um and a male figure in your life. And he was so committed to it, you know. He never stopped even when we moved away. Brad, his name was Brad Smith. And Brad would come and stay with us a week or two during the summer when he was off. And they would always write to one another and still talk to each other. Kirk was there for his graduate, his bar mitzvah. Kirk was there for his

Where His Service Came From

SPEAKER_00 24:58

uh graduation, uh, he was there for his wedding. In fact, um, the last time the two of them spoke was like um a couple of weeks before died. And I happened to be in the car with Kirk when Brad called, and he was wanting his um opinion and advice on a cr on his career. He had was sort of had um not a problem, but he was really wanting Kirk to help him solve this particular thing in his career. And so they talked and everything and um and caught up with each other, and that was the last time Brad spoke to him.

Pete Shau 25:40

What is something that you want to make sure that people knew about him as far as what he did in the community?

SPEAKER_00 25:47

Well, well, he would, you know, like at church, we would um our church sponsored a homeless shelter, and it was always, you know, hey, we're missing a volunteer, and it's it's the night shift, and we need someone to, you know, Kirk would always be that one to say, Yeah, I'll do that. I'll I'll man the homeless shelter in the night shift, which is, you know, and he would be up all day and all night doing that. And um a lot of people didn't realize, you know, every year after 9-11, on 9-11, he would go and buy like tid large pizzas and go to the local fire station and deliver it and say, Thank you for your service. I we really appreciate you. Um, you know, I remember, you know, he would do food drives for the food bank and things like that and coordinate all of that. And there would be times like where the two of us would be out to dinner and we would see a family at a table next to us and, you know, with all their kids and their kids are all over the place and they're trying to keep it together. You know, I mean, you know, we kind of remember how it all was for us back then. And he would pull the waitress aside and say, I want to pay for all their tap. You, you, I'm gonna pay for their dinners. But uh, you have to promise me not to tell them that I paid for it. And he would do he would do things like that all the time. Yeah.

Pete Shau 27:08

Wow. I mean, he's he just he has this, you know, every time, I'm telling you, every time I hear about it, it's almost like a larger than life kind of thing where, you know, he just he just really had his hands on the st on the steering wheel.

SPEAKER_01 27:19

Yeah.

Pete Shau 27:20

You know, yeah and you know this personally, right? You're with him all the time. You've been married to him for years and years and years. He's he's been an integral part of your life as as far as everything's been going on, you the same for him. As he as he's gone on and done more things, he's been a part of buddies, he's been a part of you know, a couple of other things in Gator's. After he passed, what was it like? What what did you hear hearing, you know, about Kirk from other people? Because I I'm saying this now, but usually when people are are, and I don't want to, you know, I hate to say that, but when people are around, we don't say, we don't speak about them the same way. Unfortunately, we don't. We should. We probably should say this guy's the greatest guy ever, right? But then sometimes when somebody passes, you know, that's when we start saying, Oh, I remember this time and I remember that time. What what did you find out about your husband across the industry after he had passed and and the stories that you heard from other people? Was was it was it the same thing that you knew at home every day, every time when he came home, or did you find out something new and you're like, oh my goodness, there's more to it.

SPEAKER_00 28:19

Well, you know, Kirk and always shared, he never he was not a good person in sharing his feelings. He didn't share his feelings, but he was always good about sharing everything that was going on in his life with me, you know. He always kept his feelings kind of close knit into himself. Well, I it surprised me that first year when I was there to give the award for Kirk. Well, first of all, you have to realize it it his passing, you know, his heart attack and the way it was so sudden, it just brought it just sent a ripple throughout the whole industry and all his friends, all our family. I mean, it was it was devastating and very traumatizing. So that first year when I went there to give out the award and everything, everyone kept coming up to me and hugging me and they were crying and they were telling me all how much Kurt meant to them. And I did my very best holding it all together, but I had no idea how much everyone truly just loved him and all the wonderful things they said about him. And it was so emotional for me that the next year I I told my son, I said, I

Grief And The Stories People Shared

SPEAKER_00 29:34

don't think I can do it again. I don't think I can do it. I said, You do it next year. So he did it that following year and everything, but it got better for me. I'm really now very eager and very proud to be a part of cultivating this environment of making a difference in your community and beyond. And I want to try to do everything I can to support that. And I just feel very honored that they chose to honor his legacy and his memory by naming it after him.

Pete Shau 30:07

I I I don't think Paul would have it any other way. We're gonna get to that, we're gonna get to Paul in just a minute. Yeah. But walk me through the moment that FRDA told you that they wanted to create an award in his name. What was that like to hear that, you know, Kirk has touched people in such a way? He he made such an impact in the RTO industry that they actually wanted to do this. What was that like getting that call? Or you tell me, was it a call? Did somebody show up, or how did how did it go?

SPEAKER_00 30:33

Paul called me and told me that they wanted to do that. And you have to remember it was within the first 30 days of him passing. So I was very emotional, but I was just so I just couldn't believe that they were wanting to do this and honor him and remember him. So I think they had decided to do it one or two ways to either create a scholarship in Kirk's memory and in his name. Or, and then Paul said, But I'm leaning toward this and call it the Kirk K Volunteer Award. And I went, Oh, I really like that, Paul. And he goes, and it's also sort of a little play on words because he was such a big volunteer fan.

Pete Shau 31:15

He stuck it in there. There you go.

SPEAKER_00 31:19

And also, you know, I mean, Tennessee is a volunteer state and the state of the volunteers, right? Tennessee is, and they're known for that. And Kirk was truly a Tennessee volunteer in all sense of the words, and in all sense of the ways, yeah.

Pete Shau 31:37

Now, getting back to Paul, you know, Paul had said before that Kirk was one of his mentors, that he did go to him and he got a lot of mentorship from him. Yeah. He took a lot from you know what he did. He took a lot from his advice, from the way he treated the community, from the way he was with his customers, with the way he treated his RTO career.

SPEAKER_03 31:58

Yeah.

Pete Shau 31:59

Did you ever see that that mentorship between Paul and him? You know, the way, the way he interacted with Paul and some of that thing? Or did it was it kind of like, you know, hey, I'm gonna go eat dinner with Paul, or I'm gonna go call Paul? Like, was

Creating The Kirk K Volunteer Award

Pete Shau 32:10

were you ever a part of that? Did you ever get to see that?

SPEAKER_00 32:13

I did, and I remember it so vividly. We were living in Daytona, and Kirk came home from the office, and he goes, Look, I have a guy coming over, and his name is Paul Mativier, and he said that he works for Renaissance Center. I think he was working for Rennes Center at the time. I'm not real sure about that. And he goes, and he he wants my advice and he needs to talk to me. And I said, Well, is he gonna stay for dinner? Get out something. He goes, No, he goes, I don't know yet. And I said, Well, there'll be plenty. And he said, when he gets here, I'm gonna take him out on the back porch. And they must have been out on the back porch for about an hour or two. I mean, just talking. And Kirk is the kind of guy that if you ever needed advice, he was be the one that you would want to talk to. Because he would never tell you, this is what you should do, and you should never do this, or don't do that, or, you know, this is what happened to me, or anything like that. He would listen to everything that you're saying, and then he would sort of say, This is my experience with this. And you have to ask yourself if this is really what you want and how you want your life to go, not just your career, but you have to think of your family and everyone, everything else, and put that, you know, variable in your decision making. And I'm sure he talked to him a lot about that it's important to have a team, you know, your partner in life needs to be your t greatest team player and cheerleader, and you really need to have that or it just won't work. And I was never pretty to if I was, I kind of maybe forgotten throughout the years because that was very long ago. But like 15 years ago or 20 years ago, I mean, it was a long time ago. But I do remember see meeting Paul and him and have the two of them having that deep conversation together. And I think um I don't want to talk for Paul, but I think Paul was at a crossroads in his career, and he really needed someone that have seen both sides of it. And Kirk has seen both sides and lived both sides, so that's why um it was so important for Paul to talk to Kirk, and I I I truly believe that, you know, um, I don't I don't think it was because of Kirk, but it certainly helped Paul make a really great decision in in his life and in his career.

Pete Shau 34:47

I think it did too, because Paul does reference that conversation quite a bit. He actually has referenced it to me as well. Yeah. And that's why I wanted to bring it up because you know, I know it, I know it made a difference. Yeah. You know, I I love Paul and uh he's got a lot going on in his life. He's he's he's always busy. You know, he's he's done a lot for the uh impact group and he's done a lot for FRDA. He's done a lot, you know, in general. Um I don't know if you know this. Paul and I met years and years and years ago.

SPEAKER_03 35:15

Really?

Pete Shau 35:16

I we both worked for Rack at that time. We weren't in the positions that we are now. Yeah. And uh there was a hurricane, Hurricane Charlie, that came through in South Florida, and uh, one of my my store was hit in Hurricane Charlie. I worked out of a I worked out of an office trailer for about nine months. And uh we were in the same region, so we we did, you know, it w it was it it was it's crazy how time and everything has gone by, and yet I still know it was great to see him uh a few years ago and kind of reconnect. But he's done a lot. He's done a lot, he's he's done quite a few things. He has.

SPEAKER_01 35:49

He's achieved great greatness. He really has. He's an achiever, isn't he? He's an achiever.

Pete Shau 35:54

I say that. Paul, I'm looking at you. You're an achiever. So with you know, with this award, he's an inspiration. I mean he is an inspiration. As as as you have this, right? There's there's this award. It's in Kirk K's name. But you're the one that goes through the nominees and selects the winner, is that correct?

SPEAKER_00 36:12

Yes, and I also share the nominees with my children.

SPEAKER_01 36:16

So I get their input as well.

Pete Shau 36:18

So as you're deciding, you know, walk me through the process. How do you decide if somebody's going to achieve, you know, get the Kurt K Achievement, you know, the Volunteer Award?

SPEAKER_00 36:29

Personally, Pete, I wish all of them could get the Kurt K Volunteer Award. I almost because it's hard to just depict the one, right? But I I try to I lean more toward the person that has Kurt's character and I can feel Kurt's character. But it doesn't take away from all the other ones. Like I said, wow, I wish we could do give all of them this award because and I don't have a favorite one through the years or anything like that, because they're all special to me and special to my children. So yeah, that's how I feel about it. Yeah. And that's how we pick. I get their input, and then we all sort of decide on this one person, and then I let Paul know who it is.

Pete Shau 37:20

You know, I I'm glad that you say that you bring the kids into it, that they can be a part of that.

SPEAKER_00 37:25

Oh, yeah.

Pete Shau 37:26

You know, it's and and with all the children, is is there a pr so is there a is and I and I I want to say this just to, you know, is there a tiebreaker? Like if there's two for one and then somebody for another, like how does it work if if everybody wants one or not want one or the two, like how do who is there somebody who gets a tiebreaker on that?

SPEAKER_00 37:44

Probably me. Okay. Like we all agree on the same one. We're, you know, I'm so proud of my children because Kirk was so such a great example of how to be think of other people first before yourself. And

How The Award Winner Is Chosen

SPEAKER_00 38:01

my children are exactly like that. They are so giving and they're so loving. They always put other people before themselves. And it's because of Kirk. I mean, it was really is because of Kirk. Kirk even made me a better person, you know. So I'm very proud of them.

Pete Shau 38:19

So every year you make it down to FRDA and you present the award. So I'm gonna do a lot better job of it. Oh well, so so how I mean, how do you have does that have a time limit on it? Do you say I'm gonna do it for the next five years, ten years? Is it gonna be as long as you can do it that you'll be presenting it?

SPEAKER_00 38:35

I'm gonna do it as long as I'm physically able to do it. And if hopefully that's gonna be the next 20 or 30 years for me. So yes, I I really want to be there and I really want to support this effort, and I really want them all to know how important they are as individuals because I pray this prayer every morning, that everyone that I meet, let it let my life be a blessing to them and humble me and always help me to think of other people first before me. And I really feel um that it's important to share that story and to share that to get just to inspire and encourage other people to be like that as well.

Pete Shau 39:26

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SPEAKER_00 40:42

It's not so much what they wrote down, you know, what the it says in the nominee nominations and how they describe all the wonderful things that they all have been doing. It's just a it's just a really a gut feeling of the whole underlying feel of what I'm reading. And that's and then I just go with my instinct and and and I trust my instinct with it. But they're all wonderful. And like I said, I wish I could give them all an award. Yeah.

Pete Shau 41:10

I really do. We know that it means a lot to you.

SPEAKER_00 41:14

Yes.

Pete Shau 41:15

What do you feel or what do you hope it feels like for somebody who actually wins the award?

SPEAKER_00 41:20

Well, that they walk away with knowing that they stay humble and they always remember to be a blessing toward others. Not so

WoW Brands Sponsor Message

SPEAKER_00 41:29

much I mean, it's sure sh it's very it's a great honor to be awarded this, but to always think about what's really important in life, and that's it's the people that you meet every day and all your fellow man. And that's what I hope they always walk away with.

Pete Shau 41:48

I I know that when I first saw it, I didn't even know it was happening. So they didn't they it's not like they came out and said, Hey, Pete, we're gonna do this. So that you know, the Kirk K award comes out and and the first winner was was Teresa Hill, correct? Am I correct in saying that? And um, I had worked with Teresa a little bit, and uh I didn't notice she did half that stuff either. And probably the same thing with the people who might have worked around Kirk, they might have not known that he did all these things on the side. 31

Haiti Missions And A Hidden Soft Side

Pete Shau 42:18

years is how long you were together.

SPEAKER_00 42:20

Yes. Um we dated for a couple of years, you know, before we got married, but yes, we uh were married for 31 years.

Pete Shau 42:30

So what was Kirk like at the in the early 20s versus versus towards the last few days, the last you know, the person that personality like was there was there like this big curve, or was he always that giving? Or, you know, as he came into it, because you said, you know, he knew what it was like to not have, he knew what it was like to go through certain things. He knew he wanted, you know, he wanted people to understand that he knew it and he wanted to give back to it. Was that always in his mindset, or did it grow on him as time went on and he said, you know, I always want to be there, but I think there's even more of a calling for this. Not only am I gonna do, you know, the boys and girls club, I'm going to reach out and do other things as well. Like what was there a huge difference in his giving in the early years as to the later years? Or was it was it like always on? Like he was just always full on, let's get this done.

SPEAKER_00 43:20

Well, he he did a lot in his early years because he didn't have a family and it was just him, right? I mean, at that moment. I mean, he didn't get married until he was 29. So he had a lot of time that he could devote to that. And it's funny that, you know, when we first started dating, he wanted to make sure that I understood that he was committed to these certain things and that I I don't want you to feel like I don't want to be around you, Celia. He goes, but I I have a strong commitment to this, and you're we're gonna you're gonna have to either understand and be on board and be with me on that. Our relationship is just not gonna work. And I mean, he told me that right up front, you know. And but, you know, I had a small child at the time too. So it worked out good for us. And we became really good partners and teams players regarding that. As he got older, and you know, and you you have your own family and things start filling up more of your time. And then he had gator rents, he couldn't do as much as he used to do. But he was always trying to, whatever anybody need anything or volunteer, or especially through the church, or there was a lot of uh times where a lot of homeless people would come into the store and he wouldn't enable them, but he would always help them. And then when Haiti was hit with that massive hurt earthquake, I mean, he just got really quiet. I mean, he really did. And this went on for a couple of weeks, and I had not ever seen him get so quiet and so withdrawn. And it was, um, Pete, it was almost like our dear sweet Lord Jesus came down from heaven and tapp Kirk K on the shoulder and said, I want you to go to Haiti. And Kirk looks at me and goes, I'm gonna go to Haiti. And I'm looking at him going, You're gonna go do what? I don't think so. I mean, he was approaching 50 and and I'm like, I I said, There's so much crime there. And I said, he goes, Well, I could take care of myself like that. And I was like, Oh, you can, huh? For the last 20 years, you've been going to work, coming home, and kiss me and look at me and say, What's for dinner? And you're gonna just, yeah. And he goes, Oh, I could take care of myself. But yeah, he went with uh on a couple of mission trips. And even though I was better on the second one than I was on the first one, I'm ashamed to say, because I was so worried when he left that day to get on the airplane, I cried and I was like, I'm never gonna see my husband again. Because I mean, he was gone for 10 days on the first mission trip, and there was no communication. I mean, you had to have like a Jurassic Park satellite phone to even preach them. You're lucky to get that. And so it was like 10 days of silence, and I just was not, I did not handle all that very well. I was much better on the second mission trip than I was on the first one. But yeah, so I mean, he had times where it wasn't as busy or that, but that with that devastation to Haiti when that happened, it was it consumed him. There was there was no maybe do this or maybe not do this. No, I have to be there and I have to do this. And um, I have seen that really side of him in a very long time.

Pete Shau 46:56

He had conviction. There was no doubt about it. It sounds like he had serious conviction to to spread his help and his and and his influence anywhere that he could in the positive light.

SPEAKER_03 47:07

Oh yeah.

Pete Shau 47:09

You know, talking to everyone now who's listening, you knew a side of him that nobody knew.

SPEAKER_03 47:15

Yeah.

Pete Shau 47:16

You saw him on his on days, on his off days, you've seen him, you know, with one company or another. There's a lot that came out about Kurt, right? As as the time gone on, and now that we have the Kirk K Volunteer Award. And so we found out a lot. What is something about Kirk that we just don't know that you'd want to share with somebody and say this the there this was a part of Kirk that people should know about him?

SPEAKER_00 47:44

Daddy had a really big heart. I mean, he had a soft side. Um, because he was such a big man. I mean, he was 6'4, and he was and he was always like rough and tough and blah, blah, blah. And I always always have to get on to him. You know, you're being too rough with the kids. Oh, they'll be all right. You know, um, but he had a really soft side. I mean, he could be watching a movie, and I'll walk into the room and he's watching a movie, and and I'm looking, are you crying? Why are you crying? It's just a bitch. And it would just touch him in a certain way. So uh a lot of people would not know that he had a very soft side to him. And a very he could get moved very easily, and was he couldn't hide his feelings from it all. Yeah.

Pete Shau 48:35

Well, that would definitely take somebody who knew him well.

SPEAKER_03 48:38

Yeah.

Pete Shau 48:38

Because uh, you know, with that type of stature, I doubt that anybody would would imagine him sitting on the sofa shedding a tear or two for a good movie. Yeah. You know, it's it's it's just great to talk about Kirk and a lot of the things that he's done and and it is being able to recognize somebody who not only touched a lot of lives, but has been recognized for doing that. You know, coming to an end as we come to a close. Yeah, you know, if if and and this is pure speculation. If you think you know, if if Kirk had one final thing to say to the RTO community, what do you think that would be?

SPEAKER_00 49:15

Well, um, to always put your customers first and to build that relationship. That was the most important thing to him. And it's he would be so proud that the rent-to-own is still providing this, because he believed in rent-to-own industry, providing a great service for all and and the opportunities and all the wonderful things that come out of rent-to-own industry. But for him, also it was, you know, your customers are not just your customers. It's not always about the spreadsheets or hitting your numbers and things like that. It's more of how you are with your customers and the relationship you have with them and the relationship you have with your other employees and you know, your employees or your colleagues, and also within your community. And to me, that would be what he would stress more than anything.

Pete Shau 50:11

Do you do you think that as as as things have quite manifested back in the last five years, did you ever think that his legacy would look the way it does now?

SPEAKER_00 50:23

No, I didn't because I I mean I saw it, my children saw it, his close friends saw it, but I just had no idea that it would um he would be living forever, you know, because this sort of makes him still here for me and for the children. And um it's a wonderful thing. It's a wonderful thing.

Pete Shau 50:46

I completely agree. You know, it's just been an an honor and a pleasure to be able to talk to you and kind of just relive a little bit of what Kirk did and what he meant to so many people, whether it be Paul, whether it be David, whether it be the children, uh, whether

Kirk’s Message And Closing

Pete Shau 51:04

it be Brad, whether it be yourself, you know, just the lives that he's touched, the way that he's been able to kind of still be here without being here, you know.

SPEAKER_00 51:13

I'll do a shout out to Mike Zager, though. Mike was really so good to me and the children uh in the family after Kurt passed away. And him and Paul would always be in touch with me close to the anniversary of that, even check in on us around the holidays. Kurt just loved Mike. He really did. He just loved Mike and loved working for buddies. He loved Paul, and there were so many people in the industry that he just probably felt very fortunate and very blessed to be a part of all of that and to be a part of their lives. He really was.

Pete Shau 51:59

Listen, stories like this is what makes the RTO community amazing. If you guys have anything that you want to share, hit me up, Pete at the RTO ShowPodcast.com. You can hit us up on all the social medias and Facebook and LinkedIn and Instagram, YouTube where you're gonna see this, even in TikTok and X, where we have some new accounts. Please feel free, go to the website. Also, we have a newsletter that comes out with some stuff that we don't cover here on the show. And listen, everything that we do is what we do for you, especially stories like this. Sissi, thank you so much. Uh, and I'm gonna tell you guys, as always, I appreciate everything that this this show can get and does, and the honor that I've got to talk to you guys. So I'm gonna sign off a little different today. I'm gonna tell you guys, be good to one another, be good to everybody in your community, and remember we are all human, so we all do our best, just like Kirk did, to make tomorrow a little bit brighter. Have a great one.