Ownership Change At

Dean Lumber Company

Steve Dean has bought out his brother, Elliott, to become sole owner of Dean Lumber Company, Inc., Gilmer, Tx.

The board of directors elected Steve Dean president and ceo of the combined companies.

Dean's management team is now headed up by v.p.-marketing Ron Hilliard, also v.p. and gen. mgr. of Fry Wholesale Lumber Co., Dallas, Tx., which will add a Gilmer location next year.

Other appointrnents and executive committee members: v.p. administration Tom Steele, also v.p. and gen. mgr., Dean Lumber Co.; v.p.-finance Dick Arbegast, v.p. and gen. mgr., Jamco, Inc.; v.p.-forest resources Richard Hill, staff forester and woodlands mgr., Lasco, Inc., and v.p.-manufacturing Warren Worsham, v.p. and gen. mgr., Paradigm Pallet Co.

Dean also confirmed key operating department mgrs.: John Bullock, sales; Scott Nevins, forestry; William Brooks, sawmill; Audean Coppedge, planer mill; Danny Hurt, treating plant; Greg Davidson, power plant and transportation; David Tackett, safety; Brian Herndon, dry-end mgr., and Jodie Miller, environmental compliance.

Home Depot Greates Southwest Division

Home Depot has formed a sixth division to handle its growing expansion plans for the Southwestern U.S. Taking Depot's stores in Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana from its Southeast division, New Mexico from its Western division, and Kansas and Missouri from its Midwest division, the new region will add nearly 130 stores in the next three years.

It now has 61 stores-with more than half of those in Texas-and more than $2 billion in annual sales.

Ken Ubertino, currently vice president of merchandising for the Midwest division, will head the new Dallas, Tx.-based division when it begins operations Feb. l, the first day of Depot's fiscal year.

One reason for spinning off the new group was to ease the pressure on the fast-growing Southeast division, which had been on a pace to expand to 300 stores by 1999.