Obltuarles

Ralph Stewart Sr., 74, vice presi' dent and co-founder of Keener Lumber Co.. Smithfield, N.C., died l"eb. l, 1990, in l)urham, N.C.

Born in Four Oaks. N.C.. he worked as a timber cruiser before opening the lumber company with his brother Herman in 1962. They added a second location in 1987.

Mr. Stewart is survived by two sons. four brothers, and five grandchildren.

Wllllams Brce. Lumber Buyout

Jerry Johnson, president of Williams Bros. Lumber Group, Atlanta, (ia., and Sonny Calhoun are negotiating the purchase of the company from Blue Circle, Inc.

Building supply yards in l)uluth, Marietta, Conyers and Clenwood, (ia., are included in the transaction which will be financed by AIlied Capital Corp. No price was disclosed. Closing is scheduled on or before May 10.

ln discussing the transaction, Johnson said, "We now have an efficient, responsive operation that enables us to target and strengthen our contractor business and build on our long term customer relationships. As the Atlanta market stablilizes and strengthens, we plan to expand our contractor oriented operations into other sections of metro Atlanta such as the west and south sides."

Manager Cited for Kickbacks

Authorities say a former home center merchandising manager received $389.954.80 in kickbacks from manufacturers and failed to report them on his income tax return.

John W. Buckles Jr., 41, Kingsport, Tn., pleaded guiltY to one felony count of filing a fraudulent 1983 individual income tax return. The court scheduled sentencing for June 21.

According to a "statment of facts" issued by the Eastern District of U.S. District Court in Tennessee, the charges result from activities Buckles engaged in while an employee of Lowe's.

New Georgla Crado StanP taw l:ffective July l. any dimension lumber sold in (ieorgia with a grade stamp must have been graded bY a recognized grading agency.

Signed into law recently by the governor, the regulation will be enforced by the (ieorgia department of agriculture. Inspectors will be authorized to confiscate or put a hold on any dimension lumber carrYing only a mill grade stamp. A violation will be a misdemeanor.

Spearheaded by l:rvin (ioodroe of the lluilding Material Merchants nssociation, Austell, (ia., the legislation was supported by retailers, wholesalers, grading agencies and lumber manulhcturers in (ieorgia. lt is expected to solve the problem ol' lumber marked with a grade stamp, but not graded by a recognized grading agency, (ioodroe said.

NAWLA Seminar For Neophytes

The University of Georgia, Athens, Ga., and the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, 8.C., campuses have been selected for the North American Wholesale Lumber Association 1990 wood marketing seminars.

The intensive week long program covering wood products and technology, lumber marketing, financial analysis, lumber sales techniques and forest products distribution will be offered Oct. 28-Nov. 3 in Athens and July l5-21 in Vancouver. Classroom lectures will be reinforced by field trips, telemarketing demonstrations and discussion sessions. Programs are designed for wholesale lumber salespersons with less than two years experience.

Personals

(Continued from page 2 -l)

Melvin Follis, v.p. of purchasing for Vaughan & Sons, San Antonio, Tx., retired the first of this month.

Mike Kimball, the son of Harris Kimball, Curt Bean Lumber Co., Glenwood, Ar., has agreed to play lootball for the University of Minnesota. The 6'1 ", l 90 lb. punter averaged 42 yards per kick his senior year in high school. A number of major national schools had recruited the l 8 year old star.

Bulldlng Productr Dlgort

Mre Kemp has been promoted to director of mktg. research at Lowe's Cos., North Wilkesboro, N.C. Glles Bowmrn is now mktg. specialisti Chrntel Brooks, merchandise operations specialist, mouldings, millwork, windows and shutters; Terry Whlle, oPerations specialist, cement, masonry and gypsum products, and PattY Mathls, operations specialist, inventory purchasing and planning.

Krren 1,. Nohn is now handling mktg. communications at Weyerhaeuser's engineered strand producls div., Winston-Salem, N.C.

Asron Modansky, pres., Ajayem Lumber Corp., has retired after 45 years in the industry.

Terry Mrrcus is managing the PatY Co.'s new Greenville. Tn.. store.

Anthony Grmble, Coastal Lumber Co., Havana. Fl.. has been named Mill Manager of the Year. Hrrry S. Van Benthuysen was honored as SuPervisor of the Year: Barry S. Bishop, Forester of the Year, and Earnest J. Brown Sr., Employee of the Year. Alabama div. winners: James F. Dixon, Supervisor ol the Year, and Steve Davis, Employee ol the Year.

Phyllis Reis has retired as director of purchasing for Universal Southern Co., Moultrie, Ga., after l3 Years with the co. David Phelps succeeds her, according to exec. v.P. Jim Ward.

Allgeier Computer Corp. ' '... Cover lll

Bean Lumber Co., Curt 19

Beverty Manufacturing '.. ' l8

Bowie Sims Prange .'.. .31

Chesapeake Hardwood Products ...Cover l, Cover ll,3 i

Cole & Associates, John T. '. '..35

Columbus Lumber '.. ' '.. .2E

Dataline Corp. .... ' '23 ,

Donner Mouldings & Millwork ... '.....1

Georgia-Pacific .Cover IV

Hartmann Sanders Co. . ,....24

Jackson & Langford Wholesale Lumber ..6

Maze Nails ., ,........25

Navajo Forest Products Industries .,,...22

P&M Cedar Products '.....'..8'9

P&M Frontier Siding '. ... '.. 17

Product Sales Co. ' '.4

Simpson Timber Co. '.. '. .5

Willamette Industries ..20-21