WESTIERN ASS0C[Alt[0N NEWS

Western Building Material Association will hold its annual convention and building products showcase Nov. l0-14 at the Red Lion/Lloyd Center, Portland, Or.

Themed "The WBMA Net," the program includes Pat Farr, Jerry's Building Material Center, and Kyle Kincaid, Vine Dahlen Werner & Co., analyzing "Employee Hiring, Training and Motivation;" Cheryl L. Bann on the National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association's "Managing for Excellence" program; Carl Forssen, Business Resources Services, on "Financial Statements," and NLBMDA pres. Roger Scherer, a fourth generation lumberman, on "There Is a Building Material Dealer in the Future."

The showcase will have 100+ exhibits.

WBMA also notes that the U.S. Department of Labor has issued a tip to help employers avoid breaking discrimination laws when attempting to find out if prospective employees are U.S. citizens while having them complete federally required I-9 forms.

When interviewing applicants, show them the I-9 form and ask if there is any reason they cannot meet all the requirements of the form. If you later discover they answered dishonestly and your employee handbook or application states that intentional misstatements during hiring are grounds for dismissal, you have a good case if you are later sued.

If the applicant can't meet the requirements, you cannot legally hire that person.

WBMA says this procedure significantly reduces or eliminates having to verify new hires' statements for ADA or other reasons, thus exposing yourself to a lawsuit if you have to later confirm them.

Lumber Merchants Association will again tackle a "Superbowl of Management" seminar Jan. 26-27 at the Marconi Convention Center in Marin Countv.

On Friday, Donna Hartley, Hartley International, will address "Speak & Make a Difference," aimed at helping managers become more effective communicators to motivate employees. The next day, a presentation by Bill Lee, Lee Resources, will be followed by roundtable discussions.

LMA's annual convention Nov. 9-11 in San Francisco will offer four roundtables: "Who's Selling Your Business" led by Peter Ganahl, Ganahl Lumber; "Productivity through Technology or Take the Duplication out of the System" by Don Koch, BMD; "Your Advertising Program - Are You Active, Reactive or Invisible?" by Jeff Pohle, Southern Lumber, and "How Vulnerable Are You?" by attomey Laura Innes.

Other activities during the "LMA: Your Golden Gate to Opportunity"themed convention include a legislative update by Juli Broyles, California Employers Coalition; advice on how to motivate others by motivational speaker Jerry Wilson; a Roaring Twenties banquet, and optional group trips to "Beach Banquet Babylon" and Alcatraz.

LMA pres. Kathleen Patterson, Central Valley Builders Supply, will nrrn over the reins to Bob Rossi, Rossi's Building Materials. Other nominees: lst v.D. Bill Sullivan, Tynan Lumber; 2nd v.p. Al Stockton, San Bruno Lumber; treas. Gary DeYoung, Corning Lumber, and directors Rick Roberts, Don Fischer, Tom Janousek and Steve Stevenson.