ATLANTA - Aaron's Inc. has elected Ronald W. Allen as president and CEO of the sales and lease ownership firm.

Allen was the interim CEO and has been a member of the board of directors since 1997. Before coming to Aaron's he served as chairman and CEO of Delta Air Lines.

"As I reflect on what has made Aaron's such a great success, it's clear that Aaron's 57-year heritage of industry leadership, superior business model and execution, and our experienced and motivated management team and associates are the company's greatest assets," Allen said in a statement. "I'm pleased to work alongside all of our associates to help millions of customers choose Aaron's as their specialty retailer of choice."