OBITIUARIES

Charles B. "Chal" Cross, Jr.,67, retired president of Truckee-Tahoe Lumber Co., Truckee, Ca., diedJan. 7, 1993, in Reno, Nv.

Mr. Cross started at the yard during summer vacations from the Universitv of Nevada, Reno, and began full-timi:

New Realities Challenoe

Wholesale Distributioi toOay

(Couinued From page j5) realities to regain and maintain a competitive postufe. Dolan recommends considering:

(1) Relationships with manufacurers are no longer working.

(2) Potential competitors are no longer easy to identify.

(3) Failing to assure maximum quality and productivity is no longer acceptable.

(4) The channel will no longer tolerate redundancies.

(5) Growth can no longer be aken for granted.

(6) Size is no longer a benefit unless channel parmers value it

(7) The sales force can no longer merely baby-sit the customer.

(8) It can no longer be assumed that a business can generate enough cash.

(9) Serving market niches is no longer good enough.

(10) Reacting to change, even quickly, will no longer protect market share.

(11) Enployees can no longer be viewed as the largest cost.

Wholesaler-distributors will have to compet€ with other industries for in 1950. He served as president from 1968 until his retirement in 1987. fore, the best strategy will be to retain and retrain the current work force, Dolan points out. available skilled labor. They will need to rely on employees to implement new technology and initiatives in quality and productivity. There-

He was a past director and safety committee chairman of the Lumber Merchants Association of Northern California.

Ilomer Thomas, 65, manager of Imperial Valley Lumber Co., Imperial, Ca", died Dec. 31, l992,in knperial.

A lifelong native of lnperial, he served as company manager for 47 years.

Opportunities exist for those who anticipate change and seize the moment" Dolan errphasizes. He recommends the following strategies to meet today's and tomorrow's challenges: using strategic planning, adopting technology, practicing Total Quality Management and continually measuring products, services and processes against those of companies recognized as world leaders.