Arizona notches its 61st annual

THE Arizona dealers annual con- I vention has gonefrom success to success over the years and their most recent, held at the Little America Hotel in Flagstaff, was no exception.

It was the Arizona Lumber and Builders Supply Association's first convention in more than a decade to be held outside the Phoenix-Tucson orbit. Taking advantage of the Northern Arizona location, the 6lst annual began in appropriate fashion with a tour of Southwest Forest Industries' local mill, which is currently running two shifts a day and producing 300,000 board feet of pine daily.

The keynote address was by James Simmons, chairman of the board of the United Bank of Arizona, who feels that housing's worst problems are over, but that the recovery will "probably" be slow. He said that it was essential for Congress to cut the budget deficit to hold down inflation, which will, he said, bring down the high interest rates which have stifled construction.

Simmons said that "the dream for housing is still there," but that builders will have to make entry level homes affordable, be more innovative and utilize land better. He said that the public needs to be educated to new mortgage instruments, such as the variable rate mortgage, and the industry needs to find new sources of mortgage money.

Annual held in the high pine country of northern Arizona. increased importance of in. tensive management . Jim Stewart new president next year: Tucson.

The president of the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association, Louisiana dealer Doug Ashy, outlined the workings of "national's " four major committees: transport and material handling, marketing and merchandising, research and development. and business management. He described the Lugar Bill, recently passed by the House of Representatives, as "cost effective" and urged the dealers and associate members to support it. (lt has since been vetoed by President Reagan).

The important political work of NLBMDA was outlined as well as the stability and visibility produced by the association's new Washington, D.C. office building. The group's i('ontirtuad ort ttcrt ttu.qt,)

(11) Chris Lueck, Rick Brooks, Ross

(12) Bob

Brand. (13)

(Continued from previous page) annual meeting will be held November 17-21in Orlando, Fl.

A press conference with the Phoenix and Flagstaff electronic and print media later that morning, MaY 2l , heard statements by AL&BSA executive vice president Frank Davis on the general state of the industry; Cal Brand, a high HUD official who de- scribed their work in streamlining government procedures plus cost cutting as ways the federal government helps home building; Doug Ashy (see above) who described the general plight of the nation's lumber and building material dealers; banker Simmons, who reviewed financial handicaps to building; Ray LoPP, a local retail executive, who reprised the Northern Arizona housing and materials situation; and Jim Frodsham, a wholesaler, who related current lumber production figures and the mills "almost depression situation.tt

Observers agreed that the Press conference deserved high marks for getting the industry viewpoint to the media in an effective and Positive way.

Techniques for surviving the '80s were related that afternoon by Kyle Kincaid, a Washington State C.P.A., who reviewed management and financial methods and how theY can increase profitability.

A brisk speaker, fighting laryngitis, Kincaid told dealers to.involve their middle management to the fullest possible degree and to make all employees aware that company profit was needed to PaY off debts and principal, finance inventory, retain jobs, and to uPgrade

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I can finish the palace today!

I found all my moldings at Sanford-Lussier!

Smaller homes and more concentrated housing with cluster type developments, town houses and condominiums are developing due to the current high interest rates and general long-range expectations that land and construction costs will remain high.

Smaller houses could mean less lumber per house, according to Robert H. Hunt, director of marketing at the Western Wood Products Association, unless the lumber and other forest products industries take steps to make sure builders will want wood to do more in their houses than in the past."

Although smaller, many homes tend to be better designed with no shortage of amenities although less space is devoted to bedrooms, halls and foyers. Great rooms, a combination of living, dining and family rooms into a single space, and manor houses, eight-plex condominiums designed to look like mansions,.rre newcomers to the building scene.

The decade-long color trend of asphalt shingles to buffs, browns and beiges is continuing, according to Richard D. Snyder, exec. v.p. of the Asphalt Roofing Manu facturers Association.

Earthtones constitute the most popular family of roofins colors.

The Keller family and all of us at Keller Lumber Sales, Inc. uould like to thank you for all of the support and condolences concerning Larry Keller.

We utill continue to operate in the same tradition: quality products in cedar, Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, white fir, reduood, and Ieminated beqftts; pltts our outstanding deliuery seruice.

Thank yott ottce again.

Sincerely,