VIRGINIA NEWS

JACK ALLISON executlve dlrector

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of National Gypsum, has agreed to give the keynote address at VBMA's 58th annual convention in Williamsburg, March 25-28.

An excellent program is shaping up for the meeting, and a record turnout is hoped for. The convention will be built around the theme of "Sales Power," and one of the attractions will be a return of the popular table displays by our convention sponsors. Send in your registration and hotel reservations now, and join Virginia's dealers in one of our oldest cities to learn some of the newest ideas.

During the recession we had very few reports from Virginia's dealers about union organizing activity. However, with the return of business, organizing can be expected to pick up significantly. We understand that a non-member of VBMA, Richmond Lumber Co., was recently petitioned by the Carpenters and Joiners. This is a subject of great interest,to all members, regardless of size. Herb Larabee, founder and president of Human Resource and Profit Associates, will appeuu on the convention program to discuss the problem in detail and offer some tips on preventing the unions getting a foothold in your company.

Other speakers will include Bob Taylor from the True Value stores in Virginia Beach, discussing advertising. A member of the Wood Moulding & Millwork Producers Association will present a slide presentation on successful merchandising ideas to increase d-i-y sales through emphasis on wood moulding products. Carlyle Tiller, president of Wheat First Securities,will give his viewson Virginia'seconomy at the kick-off breakfast.

Activities for the ladies and a closing banquet with a traditional Colonial menu also are planned. New officers will be installed at this time.

Our sister association in Minnesota writes that a dealer there was sued by a customer who had used rough sawn cedar exterior plywood siding which had been pretty well demolished by woodpeckers over the course of a couple of years. In the end, the homeowner lost the case, but the amount of money involved was substantial, and it would have hurt, had the dealer lost. He was fortunate in that he . had recommended the siding before there was general knowledge about the birds and the bees.

If his recommendation had been after l98l or so, the verdict could have been different. Since then it has been generally known that Texture l1l, reverse board and batten, and other exterior plywood types are subject to attack by woodpeckers.

The worst circumstance would be a rural area with a good stand of trees and nearby fields which harbor the particular type of bees which like to nest in the core gapof plywood siding.(And a strong local chapter of the Audubon Society.) The APA office in Arlington says that while woodpecker problems come up from time to time, they are relatively rare. None to our knowledge have been reported in this area, but it's well to be aware of the possibility.