Big Arizona dealers' convention

RICH RECIPE that included management advice, confidence building, sales improvement, marketing counsel and an update on the Washington, D.C., scene; leavened with a sprinkling of golf and tennis; plus some social events as the topping on the cake, characterized the late May annual meeting of the Arizona Lumber and Builders Supply Association.

Held in Tucson, at the Doubletree Inn, the 57th annual's theme was -'Coping with Change - a Potpourri."

Stressing the importance of managing every phase of a retail business was keynote speaker Petro "Pete"

Kulynych. the stocky, dynamic exec. v.p. of Lowe's Companies, which has 182 stores located in l7 Southeastem states that did more than $661 million last year.

"There are no secrets in this business; it's how hard you want to work and how you manage your business," he told his fellow retailers. "The numbers may change, but it's the same in your business as in mine]'he reminded them.

Keeping close track on inventory becomes intensely critical, he explained, when you manage a business the size of Lowe's, which carries approxi-

Story at a Glance

Coping with change themes mately 500 million board feet of lumber, which can run between $20 million and $25 million depending on relatively small changes in the lumber market. "Management must be precise and know where it's going; you need goals," Kulynych urged.

57th annual meeting. retail management, lumber supply, sales and profit, marketing and money were discussed reprise of the Washington, D.C. scene by Congressman Eldon Rudd. Bob Silvey elected new president. next year's convention: Scottsdale, May 3-5.

Despite its size, Lowe'slhas never lost sight of the critical importance of customer service. "With what your contractor customer is paying his help, and 69% of our business is-contractor, you better have those materials he wants when he wants them," he emphasized. Kulynych also cited an independent survey of why customers change stores. It shows that in nearly seven out of ten times, it was the re-

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FIOWERING DESERT shrubs backoround (11 John 0'Malley, Cliff Moore. (2) Frank Davis, managing officer of the Arizona association, and Harry Mendenhall, his counterpart with the Northern California group. (3) Bill Brines, John Entz, Ray Lopp. (4) Hazel and Jack Sullivan. (5) Ed Wren, Jim Young. (6) Burl Schweikart, Jim Stewart. (7) D. Anne and Ernie Martin, June Martin. (8) Lila and Dee Brookins, Chuck Bronson. (9) Jim Killen, Tony Padilla, Dale Smith. (10) Ron Pope, Frank Rosales. (11) Ray Lopp, Dave Cech. (12) Bill Hanna, Janis Wolfe, and Jim Parsons of Bel-Air Door Co. (13) Aram Mardian,

"Pete" Kulynych, keynote speaker. (14) Joe Hobson, Tony Evans, Don Lue. (15) Dave Mason, Gary Labanow, John Heun. (16) Committee meeting: John King, Mike Medigovich, Sam Hauert, Bill Walker. (17) Ray Wells, Ace Mason. (18) Sherry Gaylor, John Gyori, Gates Copeland. (191 E. D. "Stretch" Penberthy, Jim Young, Ralph Rundle. (20) Don Hosack. Rod Morrison, Dick Wood. (211 'Woody" Clark, Bill Corley, Larry Grabe. (221 Pat Simone, Carl Dobbins, Gary Smith. (23) Marv Setzer, Tom Loomis. (24) Virgil Hunt, Larry and Kelvin Hamman. (25) Bud Pulliam, Felix Parela.