Streamlined format at LMA annual

fT WAS a great setting for a conI vention-the posh Silverado resort in the wine country of Napa, two Robert Trent Jones golf courses, eight tennis courts, swimming pools and all the rest-and the Lumber Merchants Assn. of Northern California had a great meeting to match; new panel discussion formats, streamlined viewing of manufacturers' displays, election of officers and (aaahh) the good local beverage at the dinners.

Treasurer Al Stockton summed up the financial dept. of LMA with "nothing but good things to report," at the Monday a.m. kickoff of the business meets following Sunday morning's Dangerous Divot Diggers' golf tournament and t-hat evening's party. It could also sum up the entire convention.

Elected new president wns Jim Webber, Hubbard & Johnson Lumber, Mt. View; lst vp., Gordon Knott, tMA PICIURE time (l) Jim Webber, Lowry lVyatt, Homer Hayward, Bob Kimble. (2) Bob Schlotthauer, Ralph Lamon. (3) Winston Logan, Wayne Stanley. (4) David Gutler, Barbara Polack, Eve and Pete Middlekauff. (5) Jim Ross, Len Viale, Mike Parli. (6) Bob Kimble. 0) Audrey Mendenhall, Jim V'/ebber, Harry Mendenhall. (0 lke and lleresa Zafrani. (9) Bob and Betty Kimble, Nancy Hayward. (10) Barbara and John Polack. (11) Bud Barber, Harry Mendenhall. (ta Art Wall, Jerry Decou. (13) Frank Sullivan, Dick Cross. fl4) Art Wall, Ross Ingraham. (15) Jim Webber,

Yosemite Lumber, Fresno; 2nd vp., Joe Mayfield, Mendo Mill & Lumber, Ukiah; with Al Stockton continuing his good efforts as treasurer. Lyle Shafer was elected national director, Ham Knott, director-at-large. District directors included Chal Cross, Art Post, Frank Baxley, Gene Bell, and Bruce Pohle.

Story a] s Glonce

Jim Webber elected new prexy panel discussions probe management and merchandising in varied 4-state Western retail operations . Weyerhaeuser's Wyatt relates industry's fight for fair forestry legislation.

o'Just Between IJs," a dealer panel, std.rted ofi by hearing from visiting dealer Tom Howell, Cascade Building Center, Yakima, Wash., who downgraded the mass merchandiser's efiectiveness in an agricultural area such as Yakima and related their efiorts in pole building construction and agricultural sheds.

Morrie Tarte, Bellingham Sash & Door, Bellingham, W'ash., narrated the story of their do-it-yourself clinics that they hold nearly weekly from 7-9:30 at night in their store. Their staff does the teaching as "our people know better what the customers want than does the factory rep.,'o notes Tarte. They have found many people are not aware that a lumber yard has the things available they want for home improvement. "You have to tell your story over and over," Tarte related somewhat wearily.

Panelist l,arry Hamman, Larry M. Hamman Lumber Co., who is building a new yard in the small Arizona resort town of Payson, explained his thinking in setting up an entirely new yard, how they evaluated local competition and why they see Phoenix (about two hours distant) as their main competition. The thinking is that though their prices exceed Phoenix's, the convenience of not transporting it will convince many that they should buy from Hamman.

Homer Hayward then reported on national's now firm footing recent changes in structure (see The Mercha,nt, Dec., p. 34) and NLBMDA's upcoming Seattle meeting in October.

Weyerhaeuser senior vp. Lowry Wyatt addressed the luncheon meeting on the serious threats to good forestry practices from both government and public groups and the forest products industry's efiorts to tell its side of the story in an efiort to get reasonable legislation that will benefit the greatest number.

The Price Commission, Wyatt said, has revealed that they have controls ready should forest products prices rise due to scarcity caused by strikes or other "artificial" factors. He said the commission's intent would be to freeze prices at pre-strike levels.

Phase II of the dealer panel began next morning with Norm Griesbach's well reasoned talk on marketing, management and the classic precepts of a well-run business. "Innovative imitation" was his phrase for the continuing learning process he feels is a prerequisite of profitability. His firm is Lampe Lumber, Tulare.

Arizonan o'Ace" Mason of Scottsdale's Ponderosa Lumber Co. shared his experiences in working under his state's rules with non-union workers and the firm's constructive efiorts toward helping their employees in ways not in the union handbook of practices.

Dick Cross, Cross Lumber, explained how his firm's many components (glass firm, roofing dept., glueJam company) work in and around home base in Merced. Each "department" has its own set of books. Cross opined that o'in our industry it is grow or perish," and noted that while the firm has grown, it was not without some unsuccessful attempts at new areas of business, i.e., second homes.

Woody Railey, mgr., Scharpf's Twin Oaks Builders' Supply, Albany, Ore., related their switch from consumer (very successful) to contractor business (also very successful) and observed the switch was the result of deeiding "what can we do best" when shifting business conditions caused upheavals in their market area.

Jack Sullivan, president of Tucson, Arizona's Mid-W'ay Lumber, Oracle Road Lumber and Jiffy Door Co., told how he had used accounts receivable financing to help provide the capital needed to make his firms grow to present size. He said the money cost them about three percent less than the 90 day financing they had previously used.

The fight for an interim forest practices act to replace the now unconsti- tutional'California Forest Practices Act was described at the 32nd annual's closing luncheon by State Senator Fred J. Marler (R) whose territory includes much of the state's timberlands.

Sierra Club interests have already killed his temporary measure once for fear that it will become the law and that enactment of permanent legislation they favor would be prevented. Marler stressed the great danger to standing timber this year from fire after a dry winter.

Outgoing president Bob Kimble then presided in the ritual gavel pass to new president Jim Webber and expressed his sincere thanks to all those who had helped him during his successful year in LMA's top slot.

Earl Ruth of Parlier Lumber, ParIier, went home happiest, he won the color tv in the drawine.

HARD AT WORK are (1) Art Masters, Jack Jacquet, Len Viale. (2) Jim Froggatt, Pat Tynan, Neil Keefer. (3) Peggy Satterly, Bud Robey.

(4) Gerald Finnegan, Bob Mullen. (5) Earl Ruth, Norm Greisbach, Tom Howell. (6) Roy and Pat .lohnson, John Polack. (7) Jack Volker, Lyle Shafer, Les Ley. (8)'Don McCann, Jim Webber, Rolston Johnson. (9) Bob Farrell, Steve Yaeger.

(10) Don Ward, Bob Babicky. (11) Bill Niesen,

Pat Tynan, Jim and "Bish" Froggatt. (12) El Haunschild, Elmer Rau. (13) Roy Parson, Jerry De Cou. (14) "Woody" and Mrs. Railey. fi5) Wayne Stanley. (16) Jim Ross, Bob Mullen. (17) Bob Babicky, Gary Hatfield. (18) Florence Wray, Jo Webber, Bill Wray. (19) Les Ley, Don McCann. (20) Steve Yaeger, Dick Cross. (21) "Bish" Froggatt, Geri and Pat Tynan, Jim Froggatt.