NNON]TANA NtrWS

By R. U. PEfERSEII exocutiYo Yicc prcsidGnt

pY HAPPY coincidence, the 33rd AnIJ trn"1 MBMDA convention and the first significant evidence of Spring arrived in Great Falls together. After one of Montanans more severe, protracted winters it was pleasant to be greeted by golf-type weather.

The convention theme o'Tomorrow Unlimited" ieceived wonderful substantiation from the kick-ofi speech by Dr. Heartsill Wilson. His dynamic "In the Shadow of Giants" helped set the tone and pace for the balance of the meeting.

An innovation this year was a series of round-table discussions for dealer participation. Six major retail operating problems were discussed at six separate tables, with members moving from table to table at their pleasure. This year's topics and the discussion leaders for each were: dealer-distributor relationship and cooperation -Al Kind and Phil Sawyer: materials handling and yard lay-er1 ' Wully Steffan and Bob Payne; credit & collection, truthinJendingJim Sullivan and Frank Dvo. racek; personnel-recruitment, utilization, compensationChan Sorenson and Bill Aldrich; merchandising advertising promotionStan Meyer and Howard Hanson; and dealer contracting operations - Dean Swank. Participation by members in these discussions was outstanding.

Guestiof the convention included Clarence Thompson, president, National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Assn., and Robert Slettedahl, national executive committeemen for district 5. President Thompson spoke to the group on 'oProfits in the Lumber Business." Bob Slettedahl, of Shelton, Wash., succeeds Brooks Robin. son, of Great Falls, as committeeman for the area which includes our association and Western Building Material Association.

Other program features included ttMontana Resources Development" by Harold Aldrich, regional director for the Bureau of Reclamation; Chet Cowan (Western Wood Products Association) on "Lumber -Supply and Demand;" Robert Helding (St. Regis Paper Co.) on "Your Company's Role In Legislation;" Dr. Thomas Kirkpatrick from the University of Montana on "Major Personnel Problems and Some Tentative Solutions."

The new slate of MBMDA officers are: president, Emmett R. Madden, A. W. Mile! Lumber & Coal Co., Livingston; vice president, L. Dexter Shaurette, St. Regis Paper Co., Libby; treasurer, A. A. Kind, Linder Kind Lumber Co., Helena; assistant treas. urer, H. G. \[hite, Neifert-White Company, Townsend; executive secretary, R. V, Petersen, Helena; national dealer-director, A. A. Kind, Linder Kind Lumber Co.. Helena. Directors Harold E. Lorenz, Emmett R. Madden and Robert F. Payne were re-elected to serve until 1972.

SecretaryManager

A T THE third quarter board meeting f} oI the association's board of directors, Lumberman's Underwriting Alliance/Universal Underwriters Insurance Co. was selected to write industrial group compensation insurance for the association members. Below is a list of advantages that association members will have by joining tJre group plan.

(1) Underwriting management with 64 year's experience providing insurance for the forest products industry.

(2) Professional and specialized engineering and loss prevention service.

(3) Loss adjustment facility geared ex- clusively to workmen's compensation claims.

(4) Expert insurance counsel available on other lines of insurance.

(5) Plan is of proportionally equal value to all members-large or small-good loss ratio or adverse.

(6) Individual members retain their own experience modification.

(7) Cost is structured to elirninate vacillating results. No 'ofeast or famine" aspect.

(8) Shock loss impact limited.

(9) Adequate reserves forall known and unknown cases.

(10) Plan can reduce or offset effect of normal state authorized rate increase. The experience rating for accidents for Arizona dealers has been very poor in the

.past. This,should certainly improve in thg .future since our undeniriter is going to rplace a safety engineer in Arizona to servp our members, ;

The following underwqiting standards must be followed and maintained to make the plan work for all concerned

(1) Good housekeeping practices.

(2) Continuing electrical maintenance.

(3) Adequate private fire appliance.

(4) First aid administration by a competent employee.

(5) Prudent hiring practices.

(6) Proper training of all new employees.

(7) Necessary safety equipment.

(8) Claims must be revieweil by lumberman and engineer.

(9) Self inspection as an adjunct to in' surance company inspection.

(I0) Management involvement in all loss prevention programs.

This is another advantage of belonging to your association. The plan can save you money by having a good safety program within the association. Sign up when the representative calls on you.

leMqster Fund Over The Top

The $6,200 needed to establish tlle Hoo-Hoo Redwood Memorial Grove, in the heart of Northern California's redwood country, has been accomplished, reports Larry Owen of the memorial committee. The final check is in the hands of the Save-the-Redwoods League and plans for the dedication are proceeding.

A plaque in honor of C. D. LeMaster will be placed on a hewn log bench at the focal point of the grove. Name for the grove will be o'Memorial Park, Hoo-Hoo International, The Fraternal Order of Lumbermen.tt

Steel Floor System Tested

Kaiser Steel is now market testing a steel floor system, accord' ing to House & Home Magazine, which o'is proving more economical than wood floor joists in a 440-house project in California."

The l4-gauge, T' x7" x 2d hollow steel beams cost more than wood but require fewer piers and less installation time. They also report that steel wall panels are finding an increasing market in low-rise apartrnents. The panels are used for nonload bearing interior and exterior walls. Wood studs are used for load-bearing walls and where studs must be cut at angles.

The report noted, however, that exc€pt for an occasional use of sheet steel to beef up door or window headers, all other roof, floor and ceiling structure members are wood.

WIMA Seeks Gov. Action

At its annual meeting, the Western Lumber Marketing Association called on the federal government to impose an immediate ban on all log exports, to increase the allowable cut of timber from government-owned land substantially, and to add to budgets oI the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to e:rpedite current harvesting of blor,v-down or bug-infested stumpage.

'Convening in Portland, the wood products wholesalers-with members in Oregon, Washington, Montana, British Columbia, and Alberta-elected as president John M. Brazier, Brazier Lumber Co., Tacoma, succeeding Roland M. Wirt, North Pacific Lumber Co., Portland.

Fence Associqtion Elecfions

Danny Spencer of the Guardian Fence Co. has been elected chairman of the southern Calif. chapter of the Intdrnational Fence Industry Association.

As a result of a tie vote at their recent election night meeting, the group now has two co-chairmen; Ray Martin, Dean Fence Co. and John Larkin, Santa Monica Fence Co. Re-elected secretary' treasurer was E. M. Perkins of the Champion Fence Co. in Santa Ana.

Martin Logan of the Small Business Administration spoke to the group about the services available from SBA.