SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION

Florida Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association's president Tom Joyner has appointed FLBMDA's State Wood Promotion Council to begin wood promotion in the state.

Declining usage of wood products and lack of frame construction in many areas make this project a top priority, according to Joyner. Education about, and the promotion of, the uses of wood products to the contractor as well as the consumer is essential to help preserve and create new market share, he adds.

Committee members include Gregory Bell, Stottlemyer & Shoemaker, Sarasota; Phil Cocks, Delta Millwork, Orlandol Sam Dunn, The Dunn Corp., Daytona Beach; Dick Gates, Robbins Mfg. Co., Tampa; John Herring, A-l Roof Trusses, West Palm Beachl Lockwood Holmes, Holmes Lumber, Jacksonville; Fraser Lynn, MacMillan Bloedel Bldg. Materials, Jacksonville; David Martin, Logan Lumber, Tampal Mike Riffe, Georgia-Pacific, Maitland; Robert Secrist, Gulf Stream Lumber, Boynton Beach; Joe Shetler, Panning Lumber, Orlando; Don Smyth Sr., Smyth Lumber, Orlando, and W. Scott Whiddon, Causeway Lumber, Fort Lauderdale.

Carolinas-Tennessee Building Material Association's president llob Witt reports that members attending the area meetings were optimistic about future business conditions. A lthough first quarter business was down significantly from 1990 at an average volume decrease of 3501r, most dealers felt things were improving with volume off only 20oh in later months.

Margins ior 1990 at an all time industry low ol under 2%r pre-tax continue to drop. l)ealers at area meetings discussed solutions including installed sales, remodeling sales, more commercial specialization, special orders and selling up to contractors.

Lumbermen's Association of Texas has sent 40 J0-second public service announcements promoting the timber and retail lumber and building material industry to All(1, CBS and NlXl television stations in Texas.

[:ach carries the message "brought to you by the Lumbermen's Association of Texas." Dealers seeine them are asked to contact the station to thank them and to notify the LAT office of the station on which they are appearing. Jennifer Brown, a new part time staffer who attendsthe University of Texas, Austin, is handling the program. She will send tapes to stations upon request.

Virginia Building Material Association will meet in Virginia Beach, Aug. l5-18, for the annual summer management conference.

Tabletop displays by VtIMA associate members, talks by (iary l)onnelly, NLIIMI)A executive v.p., and Floyd tlurt, president, Probe, Inc., and roundtable discussions led by management consultant Joe llrooks are scheduled.

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Handi-cut/ Home Ctr. Brds.

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Building Material Merchants' Association ((ieorgia and Alabama) was able to pass lien laws during the l99l session of the (ieorgia .legislature and was part of a coalition to start reform in workers compensation laws.

[:rv Goodroe called the session a mixed bag lor lumber and building supply retailers, adding that BMMA continues to enjoy a strong presence at the capitol. This year, as in previous years, IIMMA was the sole benelactor to mate-

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