THtr SOU]IHLAND

By WAYNE GARDNER executive vice president

R ECENTLY a well known trade pub- ^* lication for the building material industry carried an article on personnel and the need to train them for the building material industry.

One of the monumental tasks facing every building material dealer has been the hiring and training of new people. In most cases it was easier to "pirate" an employee from another firnr in the industry and frequently this was the course of action taken.

Training-the "on the job" type so common in this industry and many others, is a slow, arduous process. The new employee feels he isn,t learning fast enough, becomes disgruntled and perhaps leaves to go into some other endeavor. This happens not necessarily because the man was a slow learn- €r, or even because some of his

"teachers" were not knowledgeable. It was generally because the instruction periods were sporadic, no carefully developed program was followed, too much emphasis was placed on the product or products that one employee was familiar with, or on what the boss thought was important, when in reality they were not.

The only way these training problems can be overcome is to send the employee to a school, if such is convenient, participate in all the manufacterer's seminars if available. or enroll the new employee in a correspondence type training course designed specifically for the industry.

Until recently, no correspondence course of that type was available. Now there is such a course, professionally designed, covering the major areas of product knowledge for the man working in a retail building material business.

The Northeastern Retail Lumber efficient operations within the lumber yards, the stotes, the manufacturing plants and all of the other businesses represented by our varied membership. As was pointed out in the Safety Panel at our 50th anniversary convention, "Safety Makes Sense and Dollars Too." There will be a complete report in the next issue of ?Ire Merchant Maguzi,ne.

Safety is in fact, a money making proposition it's "money in the bank." Conservative estimates during the panel indicated that for every dollar spent in accident prevention and loss control measures, at least three are returned! How often, in 'business, can you achleve a three for one ratio return on your investment?

Safety pays in many ways! Are you interested? Check with us for details.

Dealers Foundation developed the course, consisting of 16 chapters of material, divided into two loose-leaf manuals.

Although each chapter is filled with vital information, necessary knowledge for every employee dealing with the products sold, there was no way of checking the progress and retention of the student. LASC has added an evaluation sheet for each chapter, enhancing the learning process of each student,

Many retail firms now have people enrolled in the course. Some have added employees after seeing how well accepted and what improvement was being made by the original enrollees.

Truly, this training course is a unique opportunity for the building material dealer to satisfy the desires of his employees for increased knowledge of the products handled, thereby improving their productivity and making them better adjusted and better motivated employees.

If training is your problem, and it nermally is one of the bigger ones, call or write to the lumber association in either southern or northern Cali.fornia, for information regarding the course. It is available to all members of the industry.

Vtlestern Building Material Association

By R0SS K|[{CAID executive vice presid€nt

fT WAS a bis day at the WBMA r headquarters when the all industry advisory council, chaired by Wayne Mattson, met. The importance given this activity was illustrated by the fact that 13 out of 14 members of this group from 3 states were present. The day was spent in planning the annual convention scheduled for November 18-20.

Announcements will go out well in advance, outlining innovative changes being made. The all industry marketing conference in July will begin with a luncheon on Sunday the 18th, continue through Monday with meetings and golf. For the fishermen, a salmon derby is planned for Tuesday morn.ing at Westport.

The model state regulation on lum- ber, discussed in 19?0 fall district meetings, continues to be extremely upsetting to our industry as its potential is discussed, analyzed and amendments are considered. WBMA's views were presented on April 16 when Bob Slettedahl, NLBMDA executive committeeman. and I met with M. R. Dettler of the City of Seattle and John Lewis, Olympia, State of Washington Weights and Measures. Dettler will chair the laws and regulations committee's meeting in July when some final decisions are made on this matter.

While these two men seemed to view things our way and offered assurance that our states would not be burdened with the regulation, we will keep in touch with these men and inform you of our progress.

WBMA Directors in 6 areas followed through in April with President Ike Parker's request for district yard visitations. The following firms served as "hostst'as personnel from

Building Moteriol Dcqlers Associotion

325 Fufler

Heleno, Montono 59601, 11061 112-2120 neighboring member firms visited in an evening yard tour and program. Word received back from those participating indicates all were very well arranged.and most successful: Eugene Planing Mill, Eugene, Ore., director, Moe Moyer; Suiter's Building Supply, Roseburg, Ore., director, Del Blanchard; Hoff's Better Living Center, Caldwell, Idaho, director, Charles Shafer; Van Petten Lumber Co., Walla l{alla, Wash., director, Bob Brinker; W. J. Conrad Lumber Co.' Coos Bay, Ore., director, Cliff Furlott; Keen & Howard's, Inc., Cen' tralia, Wash., director, Bob Bush.

A warm welcome is extended to the following new members of WBMA: a'\OMPLETE explanation and inforv mation on the new lumber sizes and grading rules, and on the revised span tables, was made to dealer personnel throughout westertr and central Montana in a series of meetings sponsored by MBMDA and Western Wood Products Association, by Chet Cowan. Excellent attendance and good member participation was registered at these meetings in Bozeman, Billings, Great Falls, Havre and Kalispell.

Regular: Basin Builders Supply, Connell, Wash.; Bayview Paint and Glass, Hoquiam, Wash.; Cashway l,umber Co., Baker Ore.; LaGrande Lumber Co,, LaGrande, Ore.; Midgley's Millwork and Glass, Eugene, Ore.; Reimers Building Supply, Albany, Ore.; Tigard Lumber and Building Supply, Inc., Tigard, Ore.

Aesociate: Armstrong Cork Co., Seattle, Wash.; Armstrong Lumber Co., Inc., Auburn, Wash.; General Construction Co., Anchorage, Alaska; J, O. Olsen Manufacturing Co., Eugene, Ore,; Sun Builders, Inc., Sunnyside, Wash.

Peterson Lumber Co., Helena; IImmett Madden from manager, A. W. Miles Lumber & Coal Co., Livingstoir, to contracting operations.

A hearty, formal welcome to the following new associate members not previously reported in thes,r columns: John Morris and Phil Norris, Viking Industries, Inc,, Portland; John Perkins, D-J Material Handling, L.rc., Billings; Jerry Miller, Marlite division of Masonite, Spokane. Vrtc're happy to "have you aboard.''

Changes on the local scene inclurle the following: Dan Filson to sales manager, Montana Mercantile Co., Missoula; Emmett Anderson from Grogan-Robinson Lumber, Poplar, to

With a completely new plant and location, Jack Ziegler is now operating Zig's Building Supplies in Bozeman. Will Easton and Zip Gillespie are the new owners and operators of Walker Lumber Co., Great Falls. Emory Matsko is a new face at Poulsen's, Inc., Great Falls.

Complete and speedy recuperation is the heartfelt wish for Mrs. Leonard (Goodie) Gorseth and for Leon Lowe, GAF Corporation.

Our sympathies are extended to the families of retired members l'. C. McBride, Midland, Inc., Glendive, and W. F. \Milling, formerly of Midwest Lunlber Co., Havre, both of whom have recently died.