PERSONAI,S

Robert L. "Robbie" Tastet has been promoted to v.p.-sales & mktg.-hardware, tool and fastener products at Moore's Lumber and Building Supplies, Roanoke, Va.

Victor Barringer has been named president at Coastal Lumber International, Weldon, N.C. Bill Long is the new v.p.

Eldon Mullenix, division mgr. at T.H. Rogers Lumber Co., Edmond, Ok., has retired after 38 years with the company. Dick Hebensperger, former mgr., Clinton. Ok.. succeeds him. Robert Allen is now mgr., Jay, Ok., and Joe Weve is the new mgr. at the Cherokee, Ok., store.

Joe Frame is now mgr. of National Home Center, Russellville, Ar. Mike Shepherd succeeds Frame as mgr. of the Clarksville. Ar.. store.

Dan Whitis is a new contractor sales rep at 84 Lumber, Pioneer Village, Ky.

Scott Stanford has been promoted to president of Advantage Business Computer Systems, Big Sandy, Tx. Gregory Matatall is now ceo.

Steve Thim, ex-Georgia-Pacific, joins Paul Wilcox and fellow ex-G-P employees Brian Stahlman and Paul Hirsbrunner at Our Own/Lumberman's Resource, Jeffersonville, Ky.

Gary Crouch has been appointed mgr. of One Source Home & Building Cenrer, North Little Rock, Ar.

Carol Alford and Ronnie Prather, exEagle Forest Products, are manning North Alabama Wholesale's new Birmingham, Al., offi ce.

Brent Stevenson has retired as director of governmental affairs with the Secretary of State's office to join GeorgiaPacific as regional mgr.-governmental affairs, North Linle Rock, Ar.

Chris Cook is mgr. of Home Depot's new Deerfield Beach. Fl.. store.

Keith Lofton, ex-Georgia-Pacifc, is new to Hood Industries, Hattiesburg, Ms.

Ben Putnam is new to ABTco, Charlotte, N.C., as customer service mgr.

Graham Wood has been named v.p.finance and c.f.o. at Sofrware Solutions, Inc., Duluth. Ga.

Gray Reynolds, depury chief for rhe National Forest System, agreed to retire Feb. 28 after 35 years with the agency at the request of recently appointed chief Mike Dombeck. Mark Reimers, deputy chief-programs and legislation, also agreed to retire after 37 years.

Dave Bernier, ex-Georgia-Pacific, and Tom Phillips, ex-Lumbermen's Merchandising Corp., are new to Richmond International Forest Products. Glen Allen, Va.

Bill Ruhmann has been named assistant mgr. at Rafter D Builders Supply, Meridian. Tx.

Jim Casey has been named lumber procurement mgr. for Georgia-Pacific's western sales center, Denver, Co. Tim Cornwell is now lumber procurement mgr. for the eastern sales office, Atlanta. Ga. John Dilly has been appointed mgr.-commodity wood products for the distribution division, Atlanta.

Ed LeBlanc, ex-Macklanburg-Duncan, has joined Regent Lighting, Burling1on, N.C., as pres. and ceo.

Frank Stewart has resigned as mgr. of state government affairs and environmental communications coordinator for the Southern Forest hoducts Association to join the American Forest & Paper Association as media director.

Sharon Prevette has been promoted to mgr.-accounting support at Lowe's Cos., North Wilkesboro, N.C. Other promotions: Theresa Anderson, divisional merchandising mgr.; Sally Blackburn, accounting specialist; Pamela Byrd, energy systems analyst; Steven Call, mgr. of remerchandising; Abby Dyer, supervisor III; Bradley IIincher, credit analyst; Aleda Iloward, director of compensation/ personnel operations; Brian Massengitl, project coordinator; Craig Price, senior mgr.-sales and use tax, and Brenda Williams, senior credit analyst.

Ilank Furry has been named store mgr. and Wade Randel co-mgr. at Lowe's new store in Corbin, Ky. Eric Barnes is store mgr. and Bob Thompson comgr. of the recently opened store in Katy, Tx.

Gene Black is the new national sales mgr. for NCI Products, Burlington, N.C.

Phitip J. Brandi has been named president and c.o.o. of the National Housewares Manufacturers Association, succeeding Thomas P. Conley, who had headed the organization since 1990.

Jan Bradshaw is now administrative assistant for Architectural Woodwork Institute, Reston, Va.

Karla G. Smith has been appointed v.p.corporate communications for InterCity Products, Lewisburg, Tn. Jim Wiese is the new senior v.p. and general mgr. of the residential products group. Dave Schumacher has been named v.p. and general mgr. of the commercial products group. Brian H. Cash is now director ofmktg. and promotion planning.

Richard C. Russell has been promoted to assistant treas./general credit mgr. at The Celotex Corp., Tampa, Fl. Ilelen Gonzalez is the new mgr. of collmunications.

Robert D. Bohan was named c.o.o. of Duo-Fast Corp. Michael P. Flannery is the new v.p.-mktg for the U.S.

Kendra L. Sutton, Lowe's Cos., West Columbia, S.C., wed Keith Golston Jan. 18.

Mary Withrich has been promoted to distributor communications mgr. for Wayne-Dalton Corp.

Sean McCartney is now mgr.-international trade activities for the American Hardware Manufacfurers Association.

Byron Potter, DW Distribution, Dallas, Tx., has been elected 2nd vice chairman of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors.

Robert McCracken has been appointed director of product development at Briggs Industries, Tampa, Fl. David Wisniewski is now v.p.-corporate material management and customer care.

Enrique Klien is now director-international sales and operations at Vistawall Architectural Products, Tenell, Tx.

Mark S. Arnold has been appointed v.p. and controller-plumbing and specialty products international at Kohler Co.

Ilugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus, Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., have named Gamble. Waite & Hope as their new financial advisor. ROIISooWHEELS

Robber's Nasty Poker Hand

A robber escaped from Scotty's Hardware, Vero Beach, Fl., with an undisclosed amount of cash after threatening a clerk's life with a fireplace poker.

The man, posing as a shopper, approached a clerk brandishing a fireplace poker he had taken from a display. After fleeing on foot, he eluded a large-scale search that included seven police officers, a sheriff's deputy and a K-9 dog unit.

Oak Flooring Plant Starts UP

Century Flooring Co. has begun production of solid oak flooring at its new plant in Melbourne, Ar.

Steve Langton is general manager; Ted Olzack, production manager; Donnie Bower, sales manager, and Bryan Keiffner, lumber buyer.

Product lines include premium red and white unfinished and prefinished flooring in 314"x2-114" and 314"x3114".

Production of prefinished flooring was scheduled to start earlY this month, consisting of two widths, two grades, and four colors. The W line will apply seven coats.

Equipment includes optimized rip saws, in-line moisture meter, new Waco sidematcher. and new Hasko end matchers.

RL's Big Book Directory

Packing listings of 8,541 forest products companies and 32,930 personnel into over 1,000 pages, the 1997 Random Lengths Big Book is now available.

The new 1lth edition. with 85Vo of its entries updated, is $185 plus shipping from Random Lengths, (800) 874-7979.

"Cluote" voi.nr MOnth

"We need not sacrifice the integrity of God's creation at the altar of commercial timber production."

- Bruce Babbitt, Inteior Secretary, responding to Republican plans to reduce Nationql Forest fire hazqrds with selective logging

Photogenic Finish

Performance Coatings Inc. is searching for pictures of wood projects treated by its Penofin finishes for a photography contest.

Photos may be featured in Penofin ads, brochures and on its Web site, and finalists can win an airless paint sprayer, camera with a photographic scanner and $500 cash. Deadline is July 3l.

Cabinets Keep Glimbing

Cabinet sales for 1996 rose 8.2V0 over 1995, with stock cabinets up 7.SVo and custom cabinets up l2.9vo, the largest increase for custom cabinets since 1987, according to the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association.

Over two-thirds of the companies surveyed by KCMA reported sales rising from 1995 to 1996.

"Demographic trends supporting a strong remodeling market and low interest rates should sustain a steady demand for cabinets in 1997," forecasts KCMA exec. v.p. Dick Titus.

He noted the general economy should grow about 2Vo, with unemployment low.

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