HWI Renamed Do lt Best Gorp.

Building materials buying cooperative Hardware Wholesalers Inc. has changed its corporate name to Do it Best Corp.

According to president and c.e.o. Mike McClelland. as its sales of lum- ber and building materials grew, the company's original name no longer entirely represented its business.

"Today, our membership is made up of hardware stores. home centers and building supply stores-the entire home improvement sector," he said. "We're also exploring non-traditional ways of selling products through industrial/commercial sales. our members' Internet Web sites and more. Do it Best Corp. covers all those facets."

The new name also supports its Do it Best retail stores, private brand products, truck fleet and Web site. "It's only natural that our corporate name and logo reflect our member programs and retail identities," McClelland said.

Several consumer focus groups came to that same conclusion, which helped reinforce the decision to switch names. The co-op also conducted a formal member survey to review names suggested by members, consulted outsidb retail design and advertising firms, and put it to the vote ofthe board ofdirectors.

Founded in 1945, the Fort Wayne, In.-based co-op serves more than 4,000 retail members in the U.S. and 3l foreign countries.

Yard Permitted To Rebuild

Devastated by a snowstorm and nearly forced to relocate, Angeles Millwork & Lumber, Port Angeles, Wa., is turning a catastrophe into an opportunity.

The 9O-year-old business suffered more than $430,000 in damages in December 1996 after the weight of 30+ inches of snow caused the warehouse roof to collapse onto finished wood products.

Even with a crumpling roof, the company never closed its doors, delivering lumber to other local businesses to shore up their bowing roofs.

"My people were out helping other people and other people were here helping us," recalls Lonnie Linn, lumberyard manager.

Unfortunately, zoning codes, which didn't exist when the mill was built, would prevent it from rebuilding on the same site. The business consigned itself to relocating outside the city-until residential neighbors and other retailers called on city officials to allow the yard to stay.

Angeles Millwork is now building an 11,500-sq. ft. store and two 7,000sq. ft. drive-thru warehouses on the same site and hopes to unveil the new store this month. Expanded size allows adding paint, electrical and plumbing departments and expanding the staffof l8 by six to eight people.

Jon Christoflersen was elected chairman and c.e.o. of Pacific Lumber & Shipping, Seattle, Wa. Phillip Tedder, exSeneca Sawmill, Eugene, Or., is pres. and c.o.o. Jim Decker, ex-Georgia Pacific Corp., is new to sales at the Vallejo, Ca. distribution yard.

Tim Spellman, ex-Spellman Hardwoods and Timber Intemational, Phoenix, Az., is the new owner of Las Animas Wood Products, Inc., Durango, Co., buying out partner Jeff Willis. Chris Cozby is gen. mgr.; Jim Klinnert, mill mgr., and Maureen "Mott Lynch, officey'credit mgr.

Shawn Millerick has joined outside sales at Capital Lumber Co., Chino, Ca.

Dan Barringer has joined The Beck Group, Portland, Or.

John Head is new to sales at Strata Forest Products, Santa Ana, Ca.

Steve Gwaltney, ex-Reliable Wholesale Lumber, has opened a Eugene, Or., sales office for Westem Woods, Inc.

Bill Sullivan has left Tynan Lumber after 16-112 years to join San Lorenzo Lumber, Salinas, Ca.

Bill Jones has been promoted to westem sales mgr. at Pacific Lumber Co., Scotia, Ca., not export sales as incorrectly reported last month.

Jim McCluskey is new to sales, serving Az., N.M., Co., Ut., and west Tx.

Gene Walters has retired from Willamette Industries, Albany, Or., after 24 years with the co. and 40 in the industry.

Doug Cleary has been named mgr. of real estate at HomeBase, Irvine, Ca.

Dave Mello is a new outside sales rep for Keller Lumber Sales, Inc., Redding, Ca., covering Or., Nv. and Ca.

Jeff Sheirbon is the new gen. mgr. at Trimco Millwork, Aurora, Co.

Greg Sanchez, Ron Dybas and Jim Yates are new to sales at Redwood Empire, Morgan Hill, Ca. Manny Brun is now sales coordinator.

John Olson is now gen. mgr. of Huttig Building Products' Rialto, Ca., DC.

Joe Soderberg has retired from Lumbermen's Buying Service, Eugene, Or., after 30 years with the co. and 40 in the industry. Todd Bradshaw, ex-Lane Plywood, is new to sales.

Tom Scott has joined Caliber Forest, Tumer, Or., as a partner and operations mgr.

Ed Riedel is the new sales mgr. at Cooley Forest Products, Phoenix, Az.

Gary DeYoung, ex-Corning/Close Lumber Cos., is now v.p.-finance at Feather River Wood & Glass, Durham, Ca.

Ray Hyytinen, Weyerhaeuser Co., Federal Way, Wa., has retired after 40 years with the firm.

John Young, ex-CA Co., Eugene, Or., is handling outside sales at Intemational Wood Products, LLC, Clackamas, Or. John Draper is in charge of inside sales in Medford, Or.

Charlie Griflin, ex-G-P, is now in sales at Eoco Forest Products, Issaquah, Wa.

Tim Beckley, ex-Pacific Wood Laminates, is now gen. mgr. of sales and mktg. at Tumac Lumber, Portland, Or.

Jim Snodgrass is the new v.p. of export sales at Contact Lumber, Portland, Or. He also was elected pres. of the Wood Moulding & Millwork Producers Association, replacing Doug Brittingham, Dallas Planning Mill, Dallas Or. Daniel Mathes. Dorris Lumber & Moulding Co., Sacramento, Ca.; Kelly Shults, Jeld-Wen/Ponderosa Mouldings, Redmond, Or., and Kendall Pierson, Siena Pacific Industries, Red Bluff, Ca., are new WMMPA directors. Michael C. Massa, Coming Moulding Corp., Coming, Ca., is treas.

Steven Buske, ex-L-P, and Scott Krueger, ex-Hasegawa International, are now with Rayonier, Issaquah, Wa.

Cindy Detering, previously with GeorgiaPacific, is new to sales at Sylvan Forest Products, Portland, Or.

David Suliteanu is group pres.-diversified business for Home Depot, overseeing the Expo Design Center roll out. Bryant Scott remains division pres.

Chris Westfall is new to sales at Cascade Forest Group, Lake Oswego, Or.

Dee Shoemaker has retired from Meeks Building Center, Carson City, Nv., after 39 years.

Patrick McCartan and John Barter were nominated to the Louisiana-Pacific board, following the retirement of General Charles "Chuckt' Yeager and creation of an additional seat.

Terry Kerwood, founder of The Wood Manufacturers Network and Technical Training Center, Inc., Medford, Or., has been appointed managing director of APA's Engineered Wood Research Foundation, Tacoma, Wa.

Jay Tinen has been appointed product design mgr. at James Hardie Building Products, Mission Viejo, Ca. Patricia St. Lawrence Bade has been named marketing services mgr.

Luce Brackett has been hired as chieftool foreman at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., according to owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

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