125 years nting

points along the M. K. & T. line as it moved into Texas.

By 1899, he and his son, W. W. Cameron, had assembled an impressive lumber empire. With beadquarters in Waco, Wm. Cameron & Co. had retail yards in neady all the major cities of Texas. He also owned eight sawmills employing 3,000 men and 200,000 acres of timberland. After the elder Cameron's death in 1899, the business was incorporated and in 1901 his son launched the millwork business. In the years to come, the

Story at a Glance

Wm. Cameron & Co. celebrates 125th anniversary with new vigor ... changes over the years, renewed commitment to the customer.

name "Wm. Cameron" became synonymous with quality millwork in tbe Southwest.

Over the next 50 years, the company grew steadily, even through the Depression and two World Wars. The housing boom following World War II gave a tremendous boost to its expanding millwork, roofing and broad-line building material sales, both wholesals 61d lgrait.

In 1950 tbe family corporation became a public corporation. In 1954 CertainTeed Products Corporation purchased the Cameron's wholesale and millwork operations and split them into two divisions, respectively Cameron Wholesale and The Ideal Company. Lone Star purchased the 157 retail vards and renamed them

National B uilding Centers.

Cameron's strength had always been tbe persmal way it did business, and its new par€nt seemed to realize that. 'There were no real changes when CertainTeed first took over," Spivey said. 'Then after about l0 years there were s(xne changes in policy to coincide with CertainTeed orporate 1nlicy." Nevertheless, it was inevitable tbat beoming a wholesale division of a large manufacturer would affect d€alers' perceptions.

Then in lggl amrn gement gloup bought Cameron Wholesale, determined to recommit the firm io wbat had made it successful for so long. Tbey started by returning to the original name. Leased sites were not acquired. Some brancbes were closed. Others expanded their sales territories. Thunderbird Steel and Wholesale Building Products, both of Albuquerque, N.M., tbe spply division distribution business of OwensCorning Fiberglas, and Whitewater Building Products of Indianapolig In., and Cincinnatr" Oh., were rcquired.

The refocus has been on tbe customer. The company designs indiyidual marketing and service strategies for and with each retailer. Tbere re annual marketing and service incentive programs for customen. Superior service comes through experienced sales personnel, extensive on site customer and product management services, frequent warehouse deliveries, high order fill rates and immediate solutions !o any problems.

"Our sales have grown greatly," said Spivey. 'I think we bad gott€n a corporate image, but Wm. Caneron is' really an old personal business. That's what customers want."