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GARY L. SMITH executive vice president

I I Nftl I moved to Northern CaliforlU nia 2t/z years ago I never understood the depth of emotion generated by the redwood tree. Even though I had been in the forest products industry for several years, my education on the subject was sadly neglected with my travels through the southwest and southern California.

I viewed redwood as a desirable but somewhat pricey material for which there were adequate substitutes. For the most part, the people I talked to and the lumber dealers I knew could take it or leave it and probably still can.

Boy, was I surprised shortlY after relocating to find out that Northern Californians are "queer" for redwood. I borrow that colloquialism, by the way, from a person in the industry who will remain nameless. lt doesn't seem to matter who you talk to. Everyone has an opinionon the redwoods, from themost adamant preservationist who doesn't want to see another needle harmed regardless of who owns it, to the quality builder who wouldn't use anything else for siding. It's like the issue of abortion; nobody's neutral.

There's no point in discussing the differences between the giant Sequoia that you can drive through and the commodity redwood that is harvested and used for so many purposes, because all of us right-minded lumber people already know about it and you can't tell "them fanatics in the preservationist movement nothin', nohow."

The point is, whether you attribute to redwood all of the wonderful qualities that are claimed for it or prefer to recognize and promote substitutes, the market for redwood products in Northern California and other parts of the country is enormous. Although I've heard many a healthy discussion on what grades and sizes to carry, most LMA members find it n desirable, o profitable, tr necessary (choose one, two or all three) to carry a substantial inventory of the species.

Because redwood is such a large part of our business, every report of a local commission or council considering restrictions on harvesting redwood, which we hear often in the BaY Area, must be taken seriously bY lumber dealers. We're not always going to have a RARE ll or snail darter issue to gnash our teeth over and be vocal about (thank goodness) but the smaller local issues can have just as serious a cumulative effect.

Our advice is to stay mindful of your local issues and be willing to get involved and speak your mind on subjects that concern you and that you can share knowledge of. You may find it necessary to attend a city council, planning committee or Sierra Club meeting to protect our collective interests. The alternative is to chance that major policy or legislation will sprout from these tiny seeds like large "oak trees from little acorns grow."

Arizona Convention Agenda

May 14-17 are the dates of the 66th annual Arizona Lumber & Builders Supply Association convention at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Az.

A.M. "Mickey" Whiting, chairman and president of Kaibab Industries, has been selected to give the keynote

Northwest News

(Continued from page 2 4) tive machines that can easily malfunction if not treated with care. To head off potential problems: o Utilize protective covers, read-head cleaners, etc. to prevent dirt and dust build-up that may lead to malfunction. o Maintain moderate, even temperatures in areas where equipment and diskettes are housed. o Place micro-computers in areas with low traffic. o Never eat, drink or smoke near machines. address, according to Mike Westcott, Babbitt's-Cottonwood, who is 1987 convention chairman. G. Raymond Lopp, president of the ALBSA and senior vice president of Babbitt's, also is playing a prominent role in preparing for the event which annually attracts hundreds of Arizona building material retailers, lum- bermen and home center operators. o Utilize reliable equipment supplies. r Never attempt cleaning equipment or making adjustments unless the unit is unplugged.

. Always create back-up files to prevent permanent loss of data and costly reproduction procedures.

. Prevent static or magnetic interference by keeping telephones, paper clips, etc. away from machines.

In summary, establish common sense practices for the care and operation of equipment and maintenance of data, and see that employees observe the procedures.

Congressman Jim Kolbe (Republican from Arizona's fifth district) has been asked to make a repeat appearance before the convention. Others who will inform and entertain convention delegates include Lute Olson, head basketball coach from the University of Arizona and coach of the winning U.S. team at the World Championships in Madrid, Spain, last year; Dr. John Buhler, nationally known economist from the University of Arizona; Bill Estes Jr., chairman of Estes Home Inc., with the subject of changes in home construction. Gerald Jewett, president of the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association, will update the audience on events of national concern to building material retailers. Jerry Walker, educational director for NLBMDA, will discuss employee incentive programs and Len Ford, Stanton Corp., will talk about pre-employment surveys designed to detect substance abuse. Keith Lanning, executive director of the California Redwood Association, will highlight the redwood industry during his portion of the program.

Alternatives to selling on price, establishing service excellence and productive

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