DATE Book

Llstlngs are often submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations wtth sponsor before making plans to attend.

WoodWorks - May 15, multi-story wood-frame structures seminar, Red Star Tavern at Hotel Monaco, Portland, Or.; May 16, Luna Restaurant, Spokane, Wa.; woodworks.org.

Do it Best Corp. - May 18-20, spring market, Indianapolis, In.; (260) 748-5300; www.doitbestcorp.com.

Hardwood Plywood & Veneer Association - May 19'21, annual convention, Meritage Hotel, Napa, Ca.; (703) 435-2900; www.npva.org.

Society of American Foresters - May 23, Selkirk chapter mqeJ4S, Longhorn BBQ, Airway Heights, Wa.; (509) 571-3374: www.safnet.org.

Tacoma-Olympia Hoo-Hoo Club - June 4, meeting, La Quinta lnn, Tacoma, Wa.; (253) 531 -1 834.

Window & Door Manufacturers Association - June 4'6, annual technical conference, Intercontinental Hotel, Milwaukee, Wi.; (31 2) 637-5891 ; www.wdmatechconference.org.

PCBC - June 5-6, San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, Ca.; (800) 956-7469; www.pcbc.com.

Forest Products & Machinery Equipment Expo - June 5'7, sponsored by Southern Forest Products Association, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga.; sfpaexpo.com.

Elmia Wood - June 5-8, international forestry fair, Elmiavagen, Jonkoping, Sweden; www.elmia.se.

Oregon Urban & Community Forestry Conference - June 6, World Forestry Center, Portland, 0r.; pries@odf.state.or.us.

Global DIY Summit - June 6-7, Sheraton Roma Hotel & Conference Center, Rome, ltaly; www.edra-online.com.

Willamette Valley Hoo-Hoo Club - June 7, golf tournament, Shadow Hills Country Club, Junction City, Or.; (541)485-5979.

Forest Products Society - June 9-11, 67th international convention, AT&T Conference Center, Austin, Tx.; (608) 231-1361; www.forestprod.org.

American Architectural Manufacturers Association - June 9-12, national summer conference, Hyatt Regency O'Hare, Rosemont, ll.; (847) 303-5664; www.aamanet.org.

Western States Roofing Contractors Association - June 9'12, convention & expo, Peppermill Hotel & Casino, Reno, Nv,; (800) 725-0333; www.wsrca.com.

Western Forestry & Conservation Association - June 10-14, basics of foredtland & timber appraisal seminar, Corvallis, Or.; www.westernforestry.org.

National Lawn & Garden Show -June 11-13, Crowne Plaza O'Hare, Rosemont, ll. ; (888) 31 6-0226; www.nlgshow.com.

National Retail Federation - June 12-14, loss prevention conference & expo, San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, Ca.; (800) 6734692; www.nrf.com.

Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman's Club - June 13, lqe]iry, Moreno's Restaurant, Orange, Ca.; (626) 445-8556; www.lahlc.net.

West Coast Lumber & Building Material Association - June 13, associates/dealers golf tournament, Rancho Solano Golf Club, Fairfield, Ca.; (800) 2664344, www.lumberassociation.org.

Southern California Hoo-Hoo Club - June 19, meeting, Anaheim Hills Golf Course, Anaheim, Ca.; (760) 324-0842; www.hoohool 17.org.

Western Wood Preservers Institute - June 23-25, summer meet ing, Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe, Truckee, Ca.; (360) 693-9958; www.wwpinstitute.org.

Northwest Natural Resource Group - June 24-26, small-scale logging workshops, Oakville, Wa.; (360) 316-9317; nnrg.org.

Western Forestry & Conservation Association - July 8-11, advanced insect & disease field session, Hood River, Or.; www.westernforestry.org

Mountain States Lumbet & Building Material Dealers Association - July 16, Colorado WOOD Council golf tournament, The Ranch Country Club, Westminster, Co.; (800) 365-0919; www.mslbmda.org.

West Coast Lumber & Building Material Association - July 18' 19, 2nd Growth summer conference, Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa, Rancho Mirage, Ca; (800) 2664344; www.lumberassociation.org.

Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers - July 24' 27, woodworking fair, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nv.; (800) 946-2937; www.awfsfair.org.

Southern Oregon Lumbermans Association - July 25.26, golf tournament-& BBQ, Rogue Valley Country Club, Medford, Or.; (541)779-5121.

Oceania Plantation, Forest & Wood Products Trade Confer' ence - Aug. 8-9, Bayview on the Park Hotel, Melbourne, Australia; www.prcc.com.au.

Willamette Valley Hoo-Hoo Club - Aug. 14 , trap shoot, Eugene Gun Club, Eugene, Or.; (541) 393-3309.

0rgilf - Aug.22-24, fall dealer market, Boston Convention Exhibition Center, Boston, Ma.; www.orgill.com.

Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Associa' tion - Aug. 23, golf tournament, Western Slope golf tournament, Rifle Creek Golf Course, Rifle, Co.; (800) 365-0919; www.mslbmda.org.

National Association of Women in Construction - Aug. 28'31, annual convention, Hyatt Regency, Bellevue, Wa.; (800) 5523506; www.nawic,org.

Putting a Finger on Profits

A hardware store outside philadelphia, pa., is surviving against larger competitors by offering more than the usual services.

"I'm more of a convenience storet more like a 7Eleven to a supermarket," says Bob Wipplinger, who has owned 80-year-old Penndel Hardware, Penndel, Pa., for the past 15 years. "We depend on people who want to support a local store."

The 3,000-sq. ft. location offers standard hardware merchandise and a number of extra items, like greeting cards and toys. It also offers the usual services-such as cutting of glass and mirrors, plus screen and lamp repair-but has branched out with several that are less commonly offered at hardware stores.

"We install watch batteries, too. It's another little niche," he says. "We have to be flexible."

But it's the store's newest service - taking fingerprints for locals applying for a government position or a job with direct contact with children, as an authorized Cogent Fingerprinting facility-that has become the most profitable.

A good customer suggested that the store should offer the service so nearby residents wouldn't have to drive 15 miles to get fingerprinted.

"We've done 9000 prints in two years and we get $3 per print," says Wipplinger, who's pleased with the arrangement since no costs were involved and training was simple.

He also makes money by renting the upstairs of the building, which he owns, to tenants. "That's really how we survive. Otherwise it's game over," says Wipplinger, who also is a real estate agent. "I knew I couldn't make a decent living just selling nuts and bolts."

Even though he's had to branch out to survive in a difficult marketplace, Wipplinger is happy to be in the hardware business. He started working in his father's hardware store at age 16 and has been in the business ever since-and doesn't plan to quit anytime soon.

"I like the freedom of being self-employed, of helping customers, of fixing things," he says.