Big NAWLA convention

ll ORE THAN 720 registered lUl members and guestsa near record - traveled to a resort in Florida to roll up their sleeves and get down to business at the North American Wholesale Lumber Association's 96th annual convention.

Some speakers thought the industry was growing complacent in at least one area: not standing its ground in the face ofrising pressures by environmentalists. "The voice of responsible resource management is missing," Thomas Richards, president and c.e.o., Idaho Forest Industries, Coeur d'Alene, Id., told a morning session. Although lumber production and consumption continuer to climb, Richards noted a "huge drop in the amount of money spent to tell our story.

Also on the breakfast panel, which covered topics from promotional efforts to Canadiantariffs, were John J. Stephens, Roseburg Forest Products Co., Roseburg, Or.; Thomas A. Buell, Weldwood of Canada Ltd., Vancouver, B.C., and Paul Bryan Jr., Metcalf Lumber Co., Thomasville. Ga.

Bill Sheathelm, Schultz, Snyder & Steele Lumber Co., Lansing, Mi., presided over the convention, which he closed by passing the gavel to his successor as NAWLA president, Henry Poler, Lawrence R. McCoy & Co.. Worcester. Ma.

Story at a Glance

Wholesalers urged to resist environmentalist demands.

Henry Poler elected president ex-Federal Reserve chief Paul Volcker receives Mulrooney Award 1989 convention: APril 1&19, Tucson, Az.

Also elected at the meeting were lst v.p. Larry Humphrey, Humphrey Lumber Co., Tacoma, Wa.; 2nd v.p. Barney Blondal, Tyee Timber Products Ltd., Langley, B.C.; treas. Robert Scholl, Scholl Lumber Co., Bethlehem, Pa., and sec. H.M. Niebling.

John Weston, Far West Fir Sales, Huntington Beach, Ca., presented the slate of new directors: Daryl Bond, All-Coast Forest Products, Chino, Ca.; Larry Landman, L&L Lumber Co., Huntsville, Al.; Tom Rice, Vaughan & Sons, San Antonio, Tx.; Dave Schaller, Schaller Forest Products, Redding, Ca.; Milan Stoyanov, Forest City Trading Group, Portland, Or., and William E. Tufts, Plunkett-Webster, Inc., New Rochelle, N.Y.

Newly re-elected directors included John Barrett, Steve Boyd, Eric Canton, Don Grantham, Larry Humphrey, Dick Mansfield, Tim Neff, Robert Owens, Henry Poler, Ted Pollard and Charles Snyder.

Former Federal Reserve Board chairman Paul A. Volcker. credited with helping to curb the runaway inflation and high interest rates of the 1970s, received the annual John J. Mulrooney Memorial Award. The prestigious honor recognizes individuals for exemplary service to the forest products industry and the community at large.

Other convention highlights included addresses bv economist

Michael Evans and from PBS-TV

The McLaughlin Group's lohn Mclaughlin, an employee review panel discussion, and a computer review program with panelists Daryl Bond, All-Coast Forest Products; Ted Haringa, Lawrence R. McCoy & Co., and Virgil Miller, Tumac Lumber Co., Portland, Or.

This year's meeting was held April l8-20 at the Innisbrook Resort, Tarpon Springs, Fl. Next year NAWLA will gather at the El Conquistador Resort, Tucson, Az., April l6-19.