Attendance soars at Arizona dealer convention

fN A time when it all too often seems that I everything is declining, the Arizona Retail Lumber & Builders Supply Association convention's one-third increase in attend' ance over last year was a welcome change and a good indicator of member morale.

Much of the discussion at the convention was inevitably concerned with this year's continuation. of the slump in new housing construction and the resulting effect on the dealer. The consensus seemed to be an attitude of 'oand this too shall pass" coupled, perhaps, with a realization that lip service to the cause of selling the consumer will no longer get it. Many realize that for their operation, it is either get in and do it right, or as one dealer expressed it, get out and put your money in a savings and loan.

Elected new president for the coming year was Bob Horr, with Tom Fridena as lst vp., Sam Hauert, second vp., Morris Turkin as treasurer and Frank Davis re' elected as secretary-manager.

Keynoter for the May ll-13 convention, held in the red rock country at Sedona, Arizona, was Wood Marketing, Inc. president Boyce Price. He told how their wood promotion efforts were being expanded in local markets across the U.S. Denver was the only western city last year. This fall, Phoenix is being added.

Price said that with houses, just selling shelter was not enough, you must sell ideas and excitement, the home as well as its total environment. He said that the Wood Marketing, Inc. program has had its best results when dealers and builders co' operated in helping a WMI local level

ARIZONA RETAIT TUMBER AND BUITDERS SUPPLY ASSOCIATION OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS I967.68

Promotion.

The industry needs to tell its story, he said. Wood is being out promoted for the consumer's dollar by new cars, travel and a host of other things. Housing is the single biggest market for wood and wood products, accounting for 45 percent of total production.

Howard J. Miller of Armstrone Cork Co. then counseled dealers on advJrtising, pointed out that all ads must have reach, frequency and impact. He said the national average for dealers is three to five percent of gross and that increasing the percent was not always a sure way to get your particular job done.

Examining what media to use was a very important component of your decision, Miller said. As a general rule, he advised, lower rates mean less response.

Opening the afternoon session was

Slory dI d Glqnce

Dealer attendance up one third . . . Bob Horr elected new president . . . Casa Grande scene of next year's convention.

Sebert H. Keiffer of the Hardwood Plywood Manufacturers Association who related that group's efforts. He urged all who wanted to increase their sales of hardwood plywood to contact the association and take advantage of the numerous sales ai& available.

That evening was open on the program. The previous night, a windy, but enjoy. able steak fry had been held next to the hotel after that afternoon's golf tournament.

Saturday morning's panel discussed the biggest problems facing the retailer, among them, lack of gross and net profit, credit and poor image projection.

Panelists were Ace Mason, Loren Pedrick, Sam Hauert, Carl Bastian and Virgil Hunt. They felt that components, trusses and pre-hung doors were the most im- ' (Contintred on Page 29)

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THE 75th annual meeting, the diamond r anniversarv" oI the \ational-American Wholesale L.r*b", Association was an appropriately sparkling affair, as the second largest group in NAWLA's existence met at Banff, Alberta, Canada.

Major addresses by industry and govern. ment spokesmen from both countries echoed the historic changes currently taking place in the manufacture and distribution of forest products, and the increasing importance of the lumber wholesaler in Iight of these changes.

NAWLA members also elected 17 new directors and new officers for the coming year. C. E. "Buddy" Klumb, Gulfport,

Mississippi, was elected president; David A. Mittell, Boston, Mass., was elected lst vice president; Robert E. Canton, Minneapolis, Minn., was elected 2nd vice president; and W. Barry Everett, Floral Park, New York, was re-elected treasurer. J. J. Mulrooney, was re.appointed executive vice president, and H. M. "Pete" Niebling, Portland, was reappointed western manager.

Congressman James C. Corman, (D.) Calif., told lumber wholesalers that 1967 should be designated'othe year of the tree" because the lumber industry is receiving more attention from more federal agencies and Congress today than at any time in American history.

"It is highly probable that the Federal Trade Com.mission . . . (will recornmend) that all lumber enterins interstate commerce be required to bear ihe grade sramp