Ron Allen, the president and CEO of Atlanta rent-to-own retailer Aaron’s, has been elected chairman of the company’s board. He replaces R. Charles “Charlie” Loudermilk, the company’s founder, who retired at age 85 in mid-September.

Allen, the former chairman and CEO of Delta Air Lines, has been a member of Aaron’s board since 1997. He became interim CEO in November 2011, after Robert C. “Robin” Loudermilk, the president and CEO, resigned suddenly, citing anxiety. Allen was named to the full-time job in February.

He led Delta from 1987 to 1997.

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CBS News Atlanta debuted its first newscast at WUPA-TV on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, featuring Jobina Fortson-Evans as the station's first anchor. (CBS News Atlanta)

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Fulton DA Fani Willis (center) with Nathan J. Wade (right), the special prosecutor she hired to manage the Trump case and had a romantic relationship with, at a news conference announcing charges against President-elect Donald Trump and others in Atlanta, Aug. 14, 2023. Georgia’s Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, upheld an appeals court's decision to disqualify Willis from the election interference case against Trump and his allies. (Kenny Holston/New York Times)

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