Northwest dealers see good business in 1990

n ETAILERS in the five state area Fl encompassed by the Western Building Material Dealers Association uniformly reported good business in 1989 and the expectation that 1990

Story at a Glance

Well attended convention and exhibits reflect good business conditions.. marketing, motivation, timber supply and drug problems addressed by speakers Tad Sharpf elected president.

will see more of the same as they gathered for their annual convention. The dealers from Washington, Oregon, Montana, Alaska and Idaho gathered in Portland, Or., for their annual convention and building products showcase, held at the Red Lion Inn, Lloyd Center, Nov. I l-14.

Sunday business sessions kicked off with the popular and amusing "Quick Pitch" selling presentations, limited as usual to three minutes. Best presentation winners were: Fred Christ. Scott Bennett and Carl Bosserman of Quality Coatings, Inc. Most original presentation was won by John Berthe and Dave McCulloch, Computer Systems Dynamics.

Best first time presentation honors went to Richard Wickizer. VeluxAmerica. Inc.

The balance of the day was spent touring among more than 100 booths at the exhibit hall, conveniently located across the entry drive from the front of the hotel. Exhibitors reported good traffic and interest from the dealers.

Keynoter William P. Morton, pres. of the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association reviewed "National's" programs and activities and brought dealers up to date on critical industry

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N0RTt|WESTEflNEBS: (l) Casey & Sid Voorhees, Pat Holman, Chuck Link, WBMA exec director l2l Ed Cunliife Tom Walls. l3l Mike McMullen, Joe Maliszewski, Gene Gradwohl. l4l Jim Adams, Chad Feverborn, John Jayne, l5l Bob & Phyllis Kerr 16l Marie & Wayne Mattson l7l Jim & Jeanne Pruitt l8l l(','ltitttr<,1 .trt)2t !,r\ |;, tt\ | ttl issues in the flrst part ol'Monday's program. Thcn it was off to the exhibits fbr the balance of the ntorning.

An excellent seminar was presented that afiernoon by ('arl (i. Dill. a Connecticut dealer with 6 stores. Merchandising, he said. is the right prodr-rct at the right price at the right time. presented in an entertaining nranner to the customer.

IIe said that products with promise f or dealers included doors. moulding. reflectivc insulation. carpeting, white kitchens and baths. Dealers should strive. he stressed. to be the dominant marketer in their trade area. Dill said a company's philosophy can nrotivate employees to perlornr better. "Communicate with your people verbally and in writing, it pays," hc said. "lnsist on cnthusiasm and harcl work." I)ill added.

The dual problems ol-substance abuse and inventory shrinkage wcre irddressed in the next l)resentltion. Kyle Kincaid, Knoll Lumber and I Iardware. Kenmore, Wa., related thlt shrinkage is more than merely cntployee thefi. IIe demonstrated with a well done slide presentation that sloppy operating practices can cost dealers n.roney in many areas. Casey Voorhees, E,ugene Planing Mill, Eugene, Or., described America's drug problem as costing U.S. conrpanies $65 billion annually. He urged dealers to get professional assistance in making certain their en"rployees are drug free. A tlrm and enforceable company policy can be an efl'ective structure to help companies, Voorhees said.

The frrst talk on the final day of the convention was by sales trainer Bill Sharp who said women shoppers respond best to a percent off appeal. Inventory should be arranged verticatly, not horizontally, he said. with high profit items at e1'e level and that end caps should have one to two high profit items.

Sharp urged dealers to show employees that "your prices are fair compared with the competition" and to communicate policy and expectations so workers know what is expected. Noting that 960/rr of clerks don't ask for the order. he said dealers should educate employees to end their presentation with the buying questionthen "shut up" and let the customer decide.

The final business speech of the 86th annual was by consultant Daniel (ioldy who described the threat to timber supply by environmentalist/preservationists, what in- dustry was doing to combat it and how dealers could become involved.

New 40-Year Club Members inducted by WBMA are: N{urlin W. Davis. CB Wholesale (io.. Burlington, Wa.: R. \i. Pcterson. Ashland. Or.l Forrest Ullman. Ullntan Lumber Co.. Big Timber, Mt.; L. R. "Bill" Aldrich. Aldrich & Co.. Billings. Mt.; Wallace Stellan. Aldrich & Co.. Billings. Mt.l Troy French, French's liuilding Materials, Hardin, Mt.: Robert G. Simkins, Simkins Hallin Lumber Co.. Bozeman, Mt.; I)ale Onrsberg. Oil Field Lumber C'o.. Cut Bank, Mt.: Richard Stemper. Astoria Builders Supply. Astoria, Or., and Irvin F-. I)ellinger. Western Building Material Association, Oly'nrpia, Wa.

1 990

OFFICERS: Tad Scharpf. pres.; NIick Bush. v.p.. Bob Jacobsen, v.1.r.; \'. [:. Canrozzi. national director: C. tr.Link. national director: Farl Nelson, immediate past pres.

DIRFICTORS: Norman Kruckenberg. \like lluza. Robert Adams. Ilrent Walker. I{arry James. Rick Barnes. Alan Stouffer, llal Reynolds. tllake Kingslel'. Jim Turner, Stan Martinkus. Rick I\lcCartney, Frank Rima. I)ick Stemper, Carl Van \\'ell, J. R. "l)ick" Witts, Curtis Jack, I'hil Kudlac. Charley Miller. Wesley Sine, Uill Whittemore. Chuck Stout. Ilob Lassitcr, C'leone Jolley, Rand Thomas. Charles M. Simpson, Milo Stordahl. Tom Simkins.

DIREC'TORS AT I,AR(iE:

I)avid Dittnrer. Ken Marson, Bob Withers.

T]XECU'TIVE ('OMM I'TTEE: N'lark Balfour.

INSURANCE & PI,NSION

TRUSTIIIIS: Warren Barry, Cecil ('leveland. John Kendall. (iordon Marson. l)ick Morse.

SUPPI.IERS COUNCII.: E. R "lLa1,'" Nailor.

YOL N(; WI,S'TT]RNE RS CLU B

PRESIDFINT: Steve Henna.