Optimism at 84th annual WBMA convention

ESPITE the stock market crash that preceded their annual convention by about a month, members of the Western Building Material Association were uniformly optimistic about the business prospects for this year as they met in Portland, Or.

In an informal roundtable of more than 40 members from the five states served by WBMA, every member felt that 1988 would equal or better last year. The five states are Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho and Montana which officially

Story at a Glance

Confidence marks well attended Pacific Northwest dealers' annual .. Joe Orem elected president. next year's meeting: Tacoma, Wa.... meetings covered service excellence, sales techniques and market positioning.

became a part of WBMA on January l. (See The Merchant, December, page 44).

Formal business sessions began Sunday, Nov. 15, with the renown exhibitors' "Quick Pitch" selling talks. As the name implies, each vendor gets 3 minutes before the dealers to pitch his products and services. That time limit was effectively enforced this year by moderator Richard A. "Dick" Wegner who used an authentic set of police lights and a police siren (on loan from the Portland P.D.) to keep the 35 presenters to their alloted time. Winner of the top prize for presentation was David McCulloch of the Dataline Corp.

As WBMA is affiliated with the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association, its current president Earl Carpenter reported on that association's activities and gave a rundown on current legislation pending before Congress.

Following was a seminar on ser-

WESTERN BUILDING MATERIAL ASSOCIATION

19E8 OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT

VICE PRESIDENTS

NATIONAL DIRECTORS

Joe Orem, Bellingham Sash & Door

P.O. Box S, Bellingham, wa.98225

Earl Nelson, Nelsons

P.O. Box 208, Twin Falls, ld. 83303

Tad Scharpf, Scharpfs Twin Oaks Builders Supply

P.O. Box 887, Eugene, Or.97440

C. E. Link, Western Building Material Association

P.O. Box 1699, Olympia, Wa. 98507

Gordon Gerretsen, Gerretsen Building Supply Co.

P.O. Box 1577, Roseburg, Or.97470

IMMEDIATE

PAST PRESIDENT

DISTRICT DIRECTORS l22l N. Bayshore Drive, Coos Bay, Or.9'1420

Clayton Smith, W. J. Conrad Lumber Co.

Norman Kruckenberg, Mike Buza, Robert Adams, John Connell, Andy Boyd, Rick Barnes, Mick Bush, Hal Reynolds, Bill Winfree, Mary Ann Warren, Robert Harper, Rick McCartney, Jerry Davis, Pete Sylvester, Carl Van Well, J. R. "Dick" Witts, Mark Balfour, Phil Kudlac, Jim Duncan, Wesley Sine, Bill Whittemore, Bob Jacobsen, Bob Lassiter, Bob Storms, Rand Thomas

DIRECTORS AT LARGE Bob Withers, Harvey Hoff, Bill Cromett

For more pictures

please see page 50 vice excellence presented by D. Bruce Merrifield, a consultant who also operates his own successful hardware distribution business. He said dealers should identify their best prospects and tailor their products and services to appeal to this group.

Merrifield said that inventory must be balanced with sales; how much do you need on hand to service your customer at a profit? He said that internal efftciencies can hold down selling costs and that customers should be educated regarding the costs that are built into service.

That afternoon the popular Building Products Showcase and Buying Show opened in the exhibit hall adjacent to the Red Lion Inn, convention headquarters. Trafftc was strong and a general feeling of optimism concerning 1988 business prospects included exhibitors as well as dealers.

The following day, Bill Sharp of the Percon Group spoke on sales concepts and techniques. He urged dealers to combat the negative image selling has with some clerks. He stressed the importance of listening in selling, of asking customers the right questions and of having a clear policy on returned merchandise.

Sharp said surveys concluded that eight out of ten customers don't buy unless asked, that 680/o feel they are treated indifferently, and that 140/o

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0UICK PlT0ll contest winner lll Dave McCulloch. l2l lrv Dellinger, Bob Perrin, Earl Carpenter. l3l Kathryn Upton and her brother Verdis Upton lll. l4l Tom Horstman, Gary Weatherly, John Burns. l5l Dugan Baker, Dick Wegner. 16l Violette Browne, Arne Kirkebo. l7l Jeri & Tad Scharpf, Bob Kerr, Vic Camozzi. l8l Margaret Knudson, Ruth Link. l9l Sharon & Perry Nydigger. ll0l Debbie & Jerry Mattson. llll Jim Jerick, John Leary, Doris Crane. [l2f Mike Maharg, Gary Hart, Tim Eggers, llSl Dick Rust, Andy Boyd. ll4lLud Turenne, Bob Vandewall, Gene Gillett. ll Sl Sig 0hlemann, Ed Gunderson. ll6l Petra Reininger, Jim Bender. llTl Bill, Mike

John Zaqone. [l8l Van Aubuchon.

IHE P0lItER PASSES: lll past pres. Clayton Smith and new WBMA ores. Joe 0rem. l2l

Dick Lundgren, David Stitl, Herb Winward. l3l v.o. Chuck Link. l5l Lori lammatteo, Tom Mock. 16l John Myers, Tom Houghton. l7l l9l Pat & Gordon Gerretsen. ll0l Nannette & Mike Wrede, Jeanne & Jim Pruitt. [l I I "Buck" & Sharon Wheat, Bill Tilley, Phil Cole. ll2l Rick Meador, Betty & Dave Shawver. ll3l Margie & Allen Brown, June & Norm

Vic Hadley, Greg Patterson, Gary Yaminski, Arne Hultgren. l4l Jock Wood, WBMA exec.

Steve Snyder, Don Mclalwin, Bob Vandewall. l8l Bill Johnston, Carl Dobbins, Loran Smith.

McAtee. ll4l Les & Linda Sioholm. llSl Terri Deoraw, Tom Plakos. ll6l Phyllis & Milo

Sto-rdahl. llTl Chuck & "Jerry"-Lauber. llSl Eddie & June Griggs. ll9l Karen Johnscn, Larry Jones, Debbie Storlohann. l20l Lori & Chuak Stout, Juanita & Bob Crawford. l2ll Mary Ana, Betsi & Frank Powers.