Never underestimate the power of a woman

E VEN today, some in the wood b products business still seem surprised to encounter women in !_op sales and managerial jobs. Those who feel that way are in for another surprise when they meet an attractive blonde lady named El Louise Waldron. Noi only is she o_ne of the top sales persons at Waldron Forest Products. she is the founder and owner. El Louise is believed to be the only woman in the U.S. who owns a wholesale lumber company she personally started from scratch.

The rest ofthe staffofthe Sacramento, Ca., wholesale firm is also female. But El Louise is quick to explain that it is strictly a coincidence. When she expanded the firm, tlre best qualified available personnel just happened to be women, not men. The situation may change at any time and, she notes with a grin, the company is an eqqal opportunity employer.

El Louise traces her interest in the lumber industry back to a grandfather who wholesaled lumber in Colorado and Oregon and to her father who drove hls own los truck. Small logging camps *e16 home to her during her childhood and ^as she grew older she helped her father during the summer. All sorts. of chores, including learning to drive the truck, preparbd her foi a career in lumber.

At 17, she went to work for Firco Studs, _Willits, Ca., as a recep- tionist. She had advanced to payroll when she left three years later to work with the old Hollow Tree Redwood Co. in Ukiah, Ca. She did insurance and sales analysis in addi- tion to the payroll. Later she worked vacation relief at Masonite Corp., ran a one-girl office for Marion Ward Wholesale Lumber Co., and m^oonlighted doing log scale tickers for the old Al Thrashei Lumber Co., now a part of Masonite Co.

While working these jobs, she also was raising two children: pat, who was two weeks old when she firsl went to work, and Marie, who had been born between jobs.

_ In the summer of- 1968, El Louise and her children moved to Sacramento. Ca. There she went to

Sfory at a Glance

the three founders of PSF. Inc.. a wholesale company now based in Fair Oaks, Ca. The others were Don Crane and Bob Bonner. The next step was the formation of her own firm in Sacramento in 1978. An office wholesaler. Waldron Forest Products handles all softwood species including incense and western red cedar, sugar and Ponderosa pine, Douglas and hem-fir and hemlock.

work for R.F. Nikkel Lumber Co. in invoicing. When the trucking department was started, she was put in charge, handling paperwork, payroll and dispatching. An oppor- tunrty came to enter sales as the company later became D.G. Shelter Products. She learned about grades and species at the planing mltt in Auburn, Ca., and ioined the sales staff.

In 1973, El Louise was one of

"l truly love the business and can't think of doing anything else tor a Iiving," El Louise explains in discussing her career. "Both mv children are in the lumber industrv. too." Marie Hunter is part of hi:i mother's business, son Pat Hunter works for Wickes. "Lumber produc_ts have been good to all of us," El Louise continues.

Linda Weber, in charge of the plywood department which handles everything from sheathing to siding, particleboard and haidwoods. also entered the industry at an early age. At 16 she started work with a (Please turn to page 27)