ltrA

mcws & tr v[@ws

HATRY ,\ ENDENHALL cxccutivc

vice presUrnt

Lurnbcr llerchont: Arrociotioa of Northcrn Colifornio 4t,ll ll Cmlm lrl, Srllo t 1g Afl*, C.. ,{J2j2 (||tl t4r-lat7 fT ir rcedily eppercnt thrt thc lumI lcr end building rnrtcriel indurtry will continuc its growth, divcrsificetion end economie importancc. fitis iB pretty much e fect. The fiction lnrt of thc perpctuation of the indurtry ig thc retcntion of the industry by indcpcndent dcelers.

Do-overything-yourself has bccomc e popuhr putime. Projccts from euto repairs to homc rernodeling havc bcen forced on the consumcr because of the continuing escaletion of wages. The semc comperison holds true for almost everything the eonsumcr must meintain'

Lergc U.S. corporations rceognizc this chenge in consumcr habits and ere continuing to acquire building metcrial outlets aeross the nation. Thcrc is no doubt thet lergc volume merehandisers ere here to stay, although somc will fell by thc wayside during the frcquent leen yeers thet are common in this industry. Another faet thet is unpleasant for us to feec is the yearly closing of rp- proximately 1500 independent dealers acrosc the nation. wHY?

There are meny reasons too numerous to expand on in this column, but failurc to keep up with the competition is e major reason. If you total the avbrage age of ell owncrs and employees of the independent lumber yards I believe you would be surprised. I should not call thig an entiquated industry but it has become one in meny riesPectS'

The independcnt deelerg who arc surviving and showing a profit in today's competitive market havc mainteinod a flow of ncw and young blood in the industry, and have provided e spccific portion of thcir operating budgct rnd time to edueation, rccducation, and rcfresher training.

Grented, the building meterial industry seems to have lost some of its glamor in recent yeers but is thct our fault or the fault of the rest of society? This industry is onc of the few rcmaining that still hes a great proportion of indepcndcnt deelers but wc are losing rapidly. Each individual owner/manegcr must pull in romc young blood with leadership potcntial and concmtrete on the devclopment of this individuel.

The Westcrn Building Mrteriel Assn. orgrnizcd the Young Westerner's Club and the Lumbcr Merrhents Assn. of Northern California organized an independent, chaptcr of this club for the exprcss purposc of dcvclopieg through training, sociel intcreourse, and aesignment of responribilities, young men to rssume opcrationel responsibility of thc industry.

You, the owncr/menager, must support this rctivity if you are to maintain a nucleous of leedership in the industry. Select candidetes for this club and notify your rcspeetive acsociation. Provide them with the time and funds to attcnd the schcduled mcctings and abovc all, let them know you are intcrcstcd in their training.