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By R.V. PETERSEN g

executive secretary

N+NlEl inlhe^news rnust certailly - -include the followittg whom we are pleased to welcome to membership il Montana Building Material Dealers' Assn:

Rouald J. Fischer, Certtral Lumber ald Hardware Co,, Harlowtotr, the most recent additiort to our dealer mernbership rolls.

Spokane Hardware Supply, Inc., Spokane, Orson Northnrp, president, joins the list of associate members.

Affiliated Supply Co., Missoula, with Herb Ewald as general sales manager, also joins the ranks of associate members.

Another new listing among the associate members is J.R. Appel, district manager, Johns-Mauville Sales Corporation, SeatUe.

Management chalges locally have resulted in Patrick Orr taking over the reins at Aldrich & Comparty, Bridger.

J. Fred Robilson is uew manager at Paterson Lumber Co., He1etra, retunlilg to Montaua from Florida where he was assistant manager for Lowe's at Tallahassee

Renewal of associate membershiP by U.S. Plywood, Spokatte, reveals that Thomas Horstmalu is the new branch manager for the operation.

Hubert White, Towusetrd, is wearitlg still another hat these days, the ttewest being that of president of Motltana Wood Products Assu. Bill Aldrich, Billilgs, receutly received accolades for "Outstaldilg Community Service" by award from the Billings Realty Board.

However, their management assistance activity is what we want to stress ir this bulletirl. They estimate that 9 out of l0 busiuess failures are due to marlagerial deficiencies. Through SBA's Office of Management Assistauce, they work to strertgthen the management capabilities of people operatirtg small businesses.

Counselilg is available from staff professionals of SBA, and from SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives). This is a voluuteer group of retired business executives who offer their services to help small busilesses solve their problems. They visit at your place of business aud have behird them the expertise of other volnuteers and all the facilities of the SBA. Also available is ACE (Active Corps of Executives) - Active business people cooperatilg with the SBA, ready to couusel when called on.

(Please turn to page 31 )

Alan Perkins is now branch manager of Georgia-Pacific's Great Falls warehouse, succeeding M ike McKenzie who has been transferred to Canada. Roy Dalrymple is now on the staff of Builders Mart, Billings.

Don Vincelette, working out of Billines. will cover that area for Prentice Lumb--cr Co.

Tom O'Malley is the newest addition to the sales force for Affiliated Forest Products. Billings.

Grant Anderson has been moved from Billings by Boise Cascade to their Pocatello warehouse.

All dealers and sttppliers in the area are requested to mark their platurilg or appoi.ntment caleudars with the importart dates of Aprl, 17-19, 1975. These dates mark the f orthcoming MBMDA Conveution at Fairmont Hot Sprilgs Resort, Gregsou. Promised is a program of outstanding speakersnationally-knowtr, local, artd ildustryassociated. .Offerirtg opportunity for ilformation, acquairtturceship, fellowship and entertairrmetrt, the cotrveutiotl offers Montarta's best industry-wide gatherilg of housilg proponeuts

One of the nicest traditions of the San Francisco Hoo-Hoo Club is the Christmas party they hold each year for under privileged children.

This year Club 9 invited two dozen boys from the Columbia Boys Home to a party at the Marine Memorial Club for luncheon, a show with a magician, music and, last but not least, a gift for each and everv bov.

In a time of continuing criticism of the business community, this ongoing project of sharing and helping those least able to fend for themselves reflects well upon the lumber industry and its fraternity.

One lumberman present said, "I've been to a number of these gatherings and every year, they kinda get through to me. It makes me very proud to belong to the organization."

A Helping Hand

VERY merchaut has been quietlY prayirg that 197 5 will briug about lJ prayillg rnar Iv / ) DrrIg ilDou I l fr-ore stable ecotromy ald more certailty about the futr-rre. The trend durilg the last six mortths is a certailty of what to expect il the future mottths, especially il the do-it-yourself trade.

The Americal pr.rblic, il geueral, is becoming more aud more orieuted toward doing things for themselves; everything from candle dipping to addirlg a room to the old homestead is plauned and completed by the homeowner. If we call malie the job easier for them through instructions, literature, materials, aud tools we call sell more merchandise to the homeowuer than ever before, especially during a slun'rp irt the ecouomy wheu every penuy counts aud we aren't tradilg up in homes. Even the driveway mechanic is coming into his owtr. We should expect the continuation of good do-it-yourself busiless irl 1975.

Sales to homeowuers creates a problem for your sales staff. Most dealers expect their staff to be thoroughly familiar with all merchandise sold but it ta.kes mally years experience to reach this level.

Traililg is an area everyotre admits he tleed-s, but few are willilg to iacrifice a day away from the store !9r a salesmal even lhough the retuins will be murifoid. When we ask dealers what we can do to heip them they always start off with training but when we set up a good trairlittg program to improve sellilg and product knowledge capabilities we have to pull teeth to get their merl to aiteud.

This past year has shown you the virlue of havi.ug qualified salei perioturel. We hope that the potential of the doit-yourself trade will ellcourage yott to take advantage of the associatiott trainilg programs ald semirlars offered. Keep foremost il your mind that the do-it-yourself customer ueeds seryice and i.nstruction.If yor.r cut provide it he will be back.

LMA has beetr workirg with the State Divisiou of Education to establish a product kuowledge arld sellilg skills program in the high school, particularly for the ueeds of our industry. We hope that a pilot program will soon be established irt Sacrametrto.

Dealers desirirtg to participate will accept the rlumber of trainees he desires. There will be uo cost. In fact the State will not permit payment to the studerlts while irl their traiuing phase. Part of the time wili be speut in the classroom leariring seililg skills and product knowledge from the maluals developed by our ildustry. They wili thetl speud part of the time workilg il the store for you.

The program has cousiderable rnerit and will fil1 that gap il the bottorn where we curreutly have problems in firiOing young people with knowiedge of our industry.

For the senior management people-a special Money Managernent Semilar is beilg scheduled for the Goldell Tee Hotei, Morro Bay, March 13-14. You have requested that we set up a high level semilar that is excelleut irl quality. We have arranged this through our.N-atiorlal Lum6er arid Building Material Dealers Assu. Both Northem and Southem Califoruia assooiations are spousoring this program' Because of the persollal type of instructiorl the program total attendalce will be limited to 40. Watch for the registration irtformatiou being mailed. In the meautime, take advantage of trainirtg programs offered.