Southemers active at national convention

LMOST 150 southern members of the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association traveled across the country to Seattle, Wa., for the organization's 69th annual convention.

Held in conjuction with the Western Building Material Association's trade show and exhibition at the Westin Hotel, the meeting offered dealers for the first time in many years an opportunity to attend a trade show during the national convention. Cecil Cleveland, president of the Western association, welcomed building material dealers from across the nation, stressing the convention theme "The Challenge of Change."

Patrick McCormick, McCormick Lumber and Fuel Co., Madison, Wi., was elected president succeeding Dean Leaman, president, Home Building and Lumber Co., Rosenberg, Tx. Leaman became chairman of the board.

Other officers elected were Gerald A. Jewett, Jr., Jewett Lumber Co., Des Moines, Ia., lst v.p.; Earl T. Carpenter, Street Lumber Co., South Hadley, Ma., 2nd v.p.; Merle Mensinger, American Lumber Co., Modesto, Ca., treasurer. Harry H. Horrocks II continues as acting secretary and executive vice president. William P. Morton, Home Lumber, Hazard, Ky., was elected a regional vice president.

Of special interest to the southern retailers attending the Nov. lfi?n meeting was a presentation by the Honorable William Bennett, premier of British Columbia, for the

NLBMDA's legislative and govern- ment agency affairs committee. Ad- dressing the Canadian lumber issue, he stressed the importance to both coun- tries of fair and unfettered trade be- t*een Canada and the United States.

In other sessions James Goldberg, NLBMDA general counsel, brought dealers up to date on the IRS rules on automobile record keeping.

Gene Stanaland, Auburn, Al., sometimes referred to as the lumber dealers' number one economic guru, entertained his audience while deliver- ing his perspective on "Managing in an Environment of Negative Attitudes."

Tom Champoux, Effectiveness Institute, Redmond, Wa., Mick Delaney, Seattle, Wa., and Troy D. Bussey, Bussey Associates, Renton, Wa., delivered timely management and economic messages. Stan Sanderson, president, Ceneva Corp., Santa Ana, Ca., shared information on how to value a retail lumber and building material business.

Jody Luck, Manassas Lumber Corp., Manassas, Va., and president of the Virginia Building Material Association, as chairman of thedealer services committee coordinated a panel presentation by the Young Westerners.

Story at a Glance

Strong southem reprcsenlalion in Seattle lor NLBMDA convention... Texan Dean Leaman becomes chaiman ol board. Canadian lumber, trade, auto record keeping, valuing of a business discussed . . . 1986 meeting: Kansas City.

In addition to the education and entertaining presentations, the dealers and their spouses enjoyed a boat trip and salmon bake accompanied by authentic native American dancen and a banquet honoring the outgoing and incoming presidents. A tourof the Weyerhaeuser corporate headquarters in Thcoma, Wa., and a producing lumber mill attracted a number of the delegates.

Going to and from the convention, many of the representatives from the south participated in tours of the Canadian Rockies.

The 1986 convention will be held in Kansas City, Ks.