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January

Pacific Northwest Hardware & Implement AssociationJan. 13-15, convention, Spokane-Sheraton Hotel, Spokane, Wa.

National Housewares Manufacturers Assn.Jan. 1417, national housewares exposition, McCormick Place and McCormick Place West, Chicago, Il.

Western Wood Products Assn.Jan 15-25, Regional Meetings. Jan. 15, Sheraton Inn-Airport, Portland Or., Jan. 16, Ramada Inn-Airport, Spokane, Wa.; Jan. 17, Red Lion Motor Inn, Pendleton, Or.; Jan. 22. Yalley River Inn. Eugene, Or.t Jan. 24, Host International Hotel-Airport, Sacramento, Ca.t Jan. 25, Registry Resort, Scottsdale, Az.

Western Conference on Export and InvestmentJan. 15, for food and forest products sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Export-lmport Bank of the U.S., Overseas Private Investment Corp., Empire Ballroom, Ridpath Hotel, Spokane, Wa.

National Association of Wholesaler-DistributorsJan. 15-19, annual meeting, Ilikai Hotel, Honolulu, Hi.

Dubs Ltd.Jan. 18, lumbermen's golf tournament no. 365, San Jose Country Club, San Jose, Ca.

National Association of Home BuildersJan. l8-21, 36th annual convention/exposition, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nv.

Mountain States Hardware & Implement AssociationJan.20-22, convention, Antler's Plaza Hotel, Colorado Springs. Co.

Oakland-East Bay Hoo-HooJan. 22, softwood night, Howard Hofmann, speaker. Place to be announced..

Budrow & Co. - Jan.27, trade show, company warehouse, 14030 Gannet St., Santa Fe Springs, Ca.

Jensen Byrd Co.Jan. 27-28, convention and trade show, E. l3l Main, Spokane, Wa.

Zork Hardware Co. of New MexicoJan. 27-28, trade show. Sheraton Old Town Hotel, Albuquerque, N.M.

Imported Hardwood Products AssociationJan. 30-Feb. 2, annual meeting, Registry Resort, Scottsdale, Az.

February

Annual Sierra Cascade Logging ConferenceFeb. 7-9, 3lst annual conference and equipment show, Reno, Nv.

Lumber Association of Southern CaliforniaFeb. l4-16, board of directors and general membership meeting, Ojai Valley Inn and Country Club, Ojai, Ca.

Forest Industries Advisory CouncilFeb. l3-16, Marco Island. Fl.

Dubs Ltd. - Feb. 15, lumbermen's golf tournament no. 366. Pitchy Selects, Peacock Gap, San Rafael, Ca. Los Angeles Hoo-Hoo ClubFeb. 15, Valentine's Day dinner dance, Luminarias Restaurant, Montery Park, Ca.

Oakland-East Bay Hoo-Hoo ClubFeb. 19, hardwood night, place to be announced.

Wood Moulding & Millwork ProducersFeb. 20-23, annual meeting, Pointe West, Phoenix, Az.

National Building Material Distributors AssociationFeb. 20-24, business perpetuation and estate planning workshops, McCormick Inn, Scottsdale, Az.

Montana Building Material Dealers' AssociationFeb. 2l-23, annual convention, Colonial Motor Inn, Helena. Black Bart Hoo-Hoo Club - Feb. 22, industry night, tour (begins at I p.m.) of new Georgia-Pacific mill; dinner 6:59 p.m., Ft. Bragg, Ca.

Western States Hardware ShowFeb. 24-26, Brooks Hall, Civic Center. San Francisco. Ca.

California Retail Hardware AssociationFeb. 24-26, convention and show, Brooks Hall, Civic Center, and Golden Gateway Holiday Inn, San Francisco, Ca.

Your

HARRY tt MENDENHALL executive vice president

ll, E START a new year and a fresh UU page in The Merchant Mapazine. In the past many of us have thought of the future as one of intrigue, Buck Rogers, space ships and alien planets. The future is just around the corner. The year 2000 is a short 20 years awav.

Look back 20 years to tha 1950s. Do you recall what your business was like then? How were you operating? What was your customer mix? What lines did you carry?

Change in our industry has taken place on a compounded basis. There has been as much change in the past l0years as there was in the previous 20 and theie will be'as muc"h in the next l0 as in the past 40.

.

ln your.long range planning are you consiclering the mag- nrtude ol rhe rndustry changes that you will face? Have you made plans and established goals? For the sole purpose of self preservation in our induslry, every dealer must think in great detail about the luture and make plans to meet the anticipated changes.

,^for the past 30 years we have seen inflation running at lU0{h each l0 years. Based on this, we can expect a homE to cost $160,000 in 1990 and $320,000 in the year 2000. Every item you sell from your store and every item you purchase ai a consumer will be under the same inflationary impact. . KlgJv^ing what the future has in store for all of us, we start into 1980 with excitement and anticipation.

It has been a long and hard batrlb bur rhe pendulum is starting.to swing back in favor of the business community. It was an ideal dream to have unpolluted water, airand lani. It was natural to want every product made to last a lifetime and be absolutely safe to use. Every consumer felt the impaci through increases in the price of goods in attempting to achieve these idealistic eoals. :

There is a realization-among Americans that the price for our dreams is much more than we can afford. The recent attempts by environmental and no-growth groups has met with.much greater resistance from the avera--ge rax payer.

Citizens are calling for a reducrion in rhe iost and Jize of government. These calls have not been heeded by the legis_ lators as yet^bu^t^they are talking about it. Wheh they'are voted out of office becau.se they didn't listen, the newly elected will know that their primary task is to stop the dic'tatorial activities ol the regulatory agencies.

.At long_last the House and the Senate have both agreed to bring FTC under control but the fight isn't ouer yei We won the battle against^proposed laboi reform only"to find that the Department of Labor and the National Labor Rela_ tions Board had approved regulations that implemented the tabor relorm they wanted without Congress approving the change in laws.

All of these agencies will face Congressional review as the pressure from business continues.

Our Building Material Industry political Acrion Committee does a remarkable job considering the small amount collected ln contributions from dealers. It is out gunned by 'l ,000 to I in dollars collected but still manages to be in the ball game and win the support of lesislators]

Solicitation for rhe Political AItion Commirree is in progress and dealers are F^eing asked-to support the industry with contributions of $100 pel each $l miition annuat groi"s sales suggested.

The return on investment is the best available.