Remodeling Spending Picks Up Pace

Spending on remodeling projects will continue to increase, according to a report from Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies.

"House prices are increasing in most markets across the country," said managing director Eric S. Belsky. "This has increased the home equity levels for most homeowners, encouraging them to reinvest in their homes."

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, remodeling activity increased almost l0olo last year. Together with Harvard's projections, this is good news for the housing industry-if enough skilled labor can be found to complete the projects.

"The strong growth that we've seen recently is putting pressure on the current capacity of the home improvement industry," said director Kermit Baker. "Contractors and subcontractors are having more difficulty finding skilled labor, and building materials costs are unusually volatile for this stage of a recovery."

Distributor Teams with Software Provider Associated Building Material

Distributors of America, El Dorado Hills, Ca., has enlisted Sales-i to provide on-demand sales and customer intelligence services.

The firms have created a cloudbased customer-intelligence program to allow better support of the sales management and CRM functions.

Near-term, Sales-i will provide expanded SaaS options, host comparative webinars, and outline new lowercost ERP platforms, helping ABM customers "to improve their overall customer service platform and to strategically plan to capitalize on gained customer intelligence," said Garry Tabor. ABM executive v.p.

NATIONWIDE

SUPERIOR TO

STRONGEST

George Weyerhaeuser Jr., -59, retired executive at Weyerhaeuscr. Federal Way,. Wa.. die d of a hcart attack April l:tr in Tacoma. Wa.

He receivcd a bachelor's degrcc irt philosophy ancl mathematics I'ronr Yale ancl a mastcr's of sciencc dcgree fromMIT's Sloan School of Managemcnt.

In his 30-ycar career with thc compainy, hc scrved in sevcral cxecutive positions. I-lc retired in 1998 tbllou'ing five ycars as president and c.e.o. of Weycrhacuscr Canada.

I)an Naughton. 70. relired gcneral manager of Red"i,oocl Errpire. San Jose. Ca.. died Jrn. 3l in Grass Valley. Ca.

Mr. Naughton gracluated fron.r the University of San Francisco and se lved in thc U.S. Arrnl

During his 40-year carecr, he also worked at Winclsor Mill. He then r.lorketl at Retlrrorrd Ernpire. relirint in 1999 aftcr l9 years.

Dale Grover O'Harra. 9-5, ou'ncr of Jacksonville Lumber Co.. Jacksonville. Or., died April l7 in Medford. Or.

He scrvcd in the Army Air Corps during World War II. flying ntissions out of ltaly.

In l9-54, while wolkin-u for Bcllcvuc Lumber Co., Ashlancl. Or., he purchased Jacksonvillc [-unrber. He renrainccl active in daily operations for -59 ye ars.

Albert Charles "Al" Smith. 86. rctircd gcneral managcr \\,cstern manulacturing for Champion International. dicd March 3l in Roseburg, Or.

Hc joined U.S. Plywood, Roseburg, Or'., in lt)56. in its LBM management training program and stayed on after the cornpany' merged with Champion Papcls in 1961 ancl was renamed Champion International in l972.He retirccl in 1985.

Irene Eloise Mullen.96, who with her late f irst husband. Wally Warm, started flash & Carry' Lumber (now E&E Lunrbcr), Sedro-Wooley. Wa.. died April 2l in Sedro-Woollcy.

Stan McGrath. 83. firrrner owner and president of Marinc Lumber, Tualatin. Or.. died March 2l in Tualatin.

Aftcr graduating from Lewis and Building-Products.com

Clark Coliege. he spent a year in the Navy. Afterwards. he helped his father launch Marinc Lumbcr in 1946. He retired in I 993.

Derl Stovall, -57, part owncr and chief financial otficer of Bright Wood Corp.. Madras. Or.. died March 25 in Madras.

John Edwin Wilkinson. T[). retired managcr of the wood treating industry's Pcnta Task Force, cliecl of cancer April 8 while visiting Boulder. Co.

As an analytical chemist for Vulcan Materials. Birrningham. Al.. hc became a champion of the che rnical and wood preserving industry.

While serving ars the Washington, D.C.-bascd government al'fairs clirector for Vulcan. he workcd to cnsure that goVcrnment regulation of the wood preservation indr-rstry vn'as based on sound science. Most recentll'. he directed the task force in its successful effort to secure re-re{istration of the wood preservative label for pentachlorophenol with thc EPA.

GEO. M. HUFF LUMBER COMPANY; o premier distributor of wholesole building products; hos teomed wifh Roseburg Engineered Wood Products in fhe Southern Colifornio morket. Huff Lumber offers the complete line of Roseburg EWP coupled with full technicol copobilities including toke-off, conversion, plocemenf drowings ond engineering services. EWP moteriols ore ovoiloble in mill direct bulk shipmenis, locol units ond cut piece iob pockoges.

ROSEBURG FRAMING SYSTEM@

The Roseburg Froming System'a consisls o{: RFPIo Joisls used in iloor ond roo{ consiruction; Rigidlomo LVL which is used for heoders, beoms, studs ond columns; ond RigidRim@ Rimboord. All of the components ore engineered to the industry's highest siondords to help conlroctors build solid, duroble, ond betler performing froming systems compored 1o ordinory dimension lumber.

Rigid[om@ IVL

Rigidlom@ IVL Sluds

RigidLom@ LVL Columns

RigidRim@ Rimboord

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HUFF LUMBER COMPANY