Wichita, Kan. – (February 10, 2021) — Derrick Nielsen, President and CEO of High Touch Technologies, was recently featured in an exclusive interview by APRO for the Winter 2020 edition of RTOHQ: The Magazine.
“Rent-to-own careerists come to the industry from an immensely broad spectrum of life paths,” states APRO. “Many of the lessons Nielsen learned by studying poli-sci have served him well professionally.”
In the article, APRO dives into Derrick’s background. Beginning with Derrick’s experiences studying government at Kansas University (KU) and Georgetown University, APRO then illustrates Derrick’s time at Oxford University, volunteering in South Africa during the end of apartheid, and serving on Desmond Tutu’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Finally, the article discusses Derrick’s move back to Kansas, his time at Charles Machine Works, and eventually, how he came to serve as President and CEO at High Touch.
“Political science isn’t really the study of government, per se,” Derrick explains. “It’s the study of power, authority, and legitimacy—issues that are prevalent in any business, but especially in family-owned business. So, knowing the kinds of structures and policies and processes you can put into place to deal with power, authority, and legitimacy has proven to be rather a useful foundation.”
Derrick, High Touch, and RTO
In the article, Derrick discusses High Touch’s future as a technology partner to the rent-to-own (RTO) industry.
“RTO is where we began 36 years ago and is an essential element of our current success,” states Nielsen. We knew we wanted it to be a key focus for our success in the future.”
As Derrick states, “Our mission is the same as it’s ever been: fostering growth-minded business development through exceptional products and extraordinary relationships. We work to be not just a tech vendor, but a business partner. When I’ve been able to go to APRO or TRIB events and talk with our rent-to-own colleagues, it’s clear that the nature of the relationships is what makes the difference. I think it’s that commitment to the human touch that ultimately matters most.”