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WAYNE GARDNER executive vice president

Llow MANY times do you. when I I the phone rings, mutter under your breath or even out loud before you pick it up"How can I get anything done when that phone continuously rings?"

It's a rhetorical question. But it makes you feel better.

Life is a series of, if you will, interruptions and sometimes upsetting events. If you are not prepared for them, then you are really not prepared for life.

Association activities seemingly hinge on interruptions. And welcome they are. We are here to be of service to the member. Most of the calls require action such as going to a jobsite, to discuss the grade or the quality of lumber being used; calling on a building department to clari$ some misunderstanding relative to grades or species or both; answering a technical question relative to wood species either for the member or a contractor, or an architect, or a homeowner or almost anyone; answering questions from the members about Proposition 65, which usually requires rereading Proposition 65 to make certain that no misleading statements are made on the phone about the law, and a multitude of other questions.

We can handle the calls. They are not intrusions into our time, but the reason for our existence. When the calls slow down, we worry. lf these types of calls were upsetting, if we were not flexible enough to handle them, then we really wouldn't be prepared to handle life. Resilience is a characteristic that each of us needs. Particularly an association. The needs o[ the members are not all the samel so we need flexibility to meet those needs and resiliency to take the pressures from you, the member, as well as from Your customer who feels that the world as he sees it is the onlY one that exists.

Some of the calls and the Problems that need to be solved, we find, are recurring.

For example, when a plan calls for No. 2 - 2 x 4's for in a rake wall, Const/ Std or Std & Btr is not an adequate substitute. If all straight construction is called for, Std and Btr is not an adequate substitute. lf construction grade 2 x 4 is specified, Stud grade is now an adequate substitute. If S-Dry is called for, S-Grn will work, but somebody better be aware of what's happening before it gets to the job site.

Specifications are written for a reason. They are not necessarily etched in stone and there is usually an "or equal" clause in existence, but you have to be certain that you are supplying the "equivalent" of what was specified or have someone's approval to do so.

For us a call is never "the man flrom Porlock." They are all important.

Mountain States

FRED CARUSO executive secretary lAgngvoNIES conducted in conVjunction with a meeting of the Wood Organization of Denver in Denver named long-time lumberman Tony Tiemann as an honorary life member of the MSLBMDA.

A resident of Greeley, Co., for 33 years, he began his career in the lumber business in Nebraska before moving to Greeley as manager of Weller Lumber

Co. After two years, he moved to Hoggsett Lumber as manager for seven years. In 1971 , he became contractor sales manager for Everitt Lumber, a position he kept until his retirement in 1982.

After retiring, Tiemann worked part time for Everitt as a sales trainer and taught classes for MSLBMDA from 1985 to 1987. More than 800 students in 30 cities attended his classes. He also wrote a book and self study course, "How To Talk Like A Lumber Pro."

Dave Stookesberry, Economy Builder's Materials Supply, Greeley, presented the award to Tiemann on behalf of MSLBMDA.

Dlsidbutors

NORTHEAST GEORGE MCQUESTEN CO.

Iron Horse Park North Billerica, MA 01862

(617) 663-343s

MID.STATE LUMBER CO. 200 Industrial Parkway Branchbrr€, NJ 08876 (2O1\ 725-4sOO

SOUTHEAST FURMAN LUMBER CO.

896O Henkels Ln. Annapolis Junction, MD 20701 (3Ot) 792-2234

EARL RAIFORD LUMBER CO. PO. Box 5498

Asheville, NC 28813

(7O4\ 253-5667

EPPERSON LUMBER SALES, INC. PO. Box 1559

Statesville, NC 28677

(7O4) 873-4321

WOODFORD PLYWOOD PO. Box 1731

Albany, GA 31703

(912) 883-49OO

Branches in Alabama, Georgia & Florida

LAKE STATES EMPIRE WHOLESALE PO. Box 249

Akron, OH 443O9

(216) 434-4545

DETROIT FOREST PRODUCTS 35135 Glendale

Livonia. MI 48150 (313) s22-0610

NORTHWEST HUMPHREY LUMBER CO. PO. Box 99943 Ihcoma, WA 98499 (206) 584-6263

UPPER MID WEST CANTON LUMBER CO. P.O. Box 9328

Minneapolis, MN 55440-9328 (6t2) 42s-t4OO

WEST

ALL-COAST FOREST PRODUCIS, INC. PO. Box M

Chino, CA 91708 (7t4\ 627-8551

HEDLUND LUMBER & MACHINE STAINING

P.O. Box @038

Sacramentq CA 95860

(916) 331-6611

CEDAR WEST CORP

P.O. Box 5224

Denver, CO AOZV (3O3) 294-9lOl