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industry matters and personnel will be sor"ely missed.

Departing from the format of industry round table exchanges, at previous conferences, three panels involving a total of 15 men thoroughly discussed: 1. changes in the distribution of building materials; 2. finding your niche in the rnarketplace; and 3. having determined your market, how to secure it and profit.

The 87 men registrants and 62 women joined with moderators Kincaid' Kirkebo and Fidler in their thanks to panelists: Del Blanchard, Wallace Bonesteel, Robert E. Bush, Donald G. Corkum, Gerald W. Frank, Duane Lasha, Charles Lauber, Dale Lawrence, Peter S. O'Neill, Jack W. Parshall' attend their first meeting, the ladies can get together at a "Koffee Klatch." Thursday afternoon there will be a bridge tournament for the ladieswith prizes. That evening is the board of directors' cocktail party and dinner-dance.

The comments by panelists and the questions and answers following made it very clea"r that a continuous and critical analysis of markets and capabilities is absolutely essential. Just as clear was the evidence that there is no end to the different approaches that can be made in successful operation in the market. The parade of practical experience by dealers proved that point.

In the first panel, Dr. Rich challenged those present ttto keep track of product and market opportunities that arise in the many changes taking place;" asking "How fast can you move your company from the awareness, to the evaluation to the action stage in seizing upon these opportunities ?"

Former vp. of Meiser & Frank, Gerald Frank did an outstanding job of listing the points essential to good retailing as he recounted how his firm sucessfully kept its niche in the market despite all the changes faced.

By WAYNE GARDNER executive vice president

NOVEMBER is the month for the Annual Management Conference of the Lumber Association of Southern California. 1970 marks the 20th anniversary of this event. According to the records, it has most always been in Palm Springs, with very few exceptions. Those who have faithfully attended feel it has been a super highway leading to bettcr management techniques, better knowledge of competitors and better profit structures.

November 19 and 20, the members of Lumber Association of Southern California and their wives will enjoy the pleasant atmosphere of the El Mirador Hotel and have the opportunity of hearing Dr. Edward H. Barker, economist and professor at the University of Southern California; Jack Ford, national sales manager of American Forest Products CorP.; "Jack" Frost of Weyerhauser Co., Peter V. Speek of Fremont Forest Products Co. and Carl Terzian of Cirrl Terzian & Associates, plus other notable persons from the manufacturing segment of the building materials industry.

William S. Wyland, Pine Tree Lumber Co., and education chairman, will introduce a new training prograrn available to the industry, for inception about December lst-right after the Conference.

Thursday morning, while the men fIECENT contact with member deal-

Friday, all the ladies are cordially invited to attend the president's luncheon. A special feature will be Carl Terzian as the speaker. This dynamic young man has thrilled thousands with his talks and is one all the women, particularly, will enjoy.

Friday night is an open night, 4vailable for members of the organization who wish to have cocktail parties for friends and customers.

Saturday will be tennis matches and golf. All are scheduled for completion prior to the airing of the SC-UCLA game. During the half time or immediately following the same, all trophies will be awarded at a cocktail party, conveniently located in the suite with the most space and the best color TV set. The former requirement is essential, but the latter is mandatory.

"r. throughout the area reveals an interesting pattern of practice and opportunism in over-all sales.

Surprising numbers of dealers have reported, with overtones of surprise and disbelief. that their business has equalled or surpassed that of a year ago. And this despite any significant volume of new home construction, and in spite of the tight money situation.

What is obvious is that these dealers have realistically appraised their sales opportunities to arrive at the most logical and profitable use of sales promotion.

Recent editorializing has told us that America is in a fix-up mood, is happily following the d-i-y trail, that the home is the prime focus for disposal of discretionary income. In other words, for spending that consumer

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rvood construction in all phases covering design, materials use and technical information.

dollar which plesents a number of options, far more people think of home improvement than any other avenue of disposal. This, of course, has been highly significant to most dealers in opening the door to more and better sales promotions, advertising and opportunity.

Concentrating on the home improvement market and the mushrooming do-it-yourself trend, dealers are finding new opportunity and profit in new products and new fixtures. Carpeting has rather surprisingly proved its place in the dealer's stock. Odd-job services and crews have been profitably added by some dealers.

With the approach of winter it is obvious that continued concentration on the home improvement market will be an essential element in successful operation.

tional figure scheduled to speak at that time.

The association seminar planning committee is Carl Bastian, Weyerhaeuser Co., chairman; Jim Boyd, vp., Southwest Forest Industries; Greg Moats, APA; Kay Kahus, WWPA; Virgil Hunt, O'Malley Companies; Ken Thompson, Southwe.st Forest Industries and Norm Reese, American Wood Council.

J'HE American Wood Council, South-

^ west Pine Association and Arizona Lumber and Builders Supply Association are co-sponsoring a seminar November 18 at Camelback Inn, Scottsdale, Arizona.

The theme of the seminar is "Concepts of the 70's-Residential Construction." The program is from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. It is designed for the builder, designer and residential architect to acquaint them with good

The program consists of a design and technical session with a prominent home builder, architect and association men to cover their particular phase in residential construction and the use of wood.

Lowry Wyatt, president of NFPA is the keyno e speaker for the day long session.

The co-sponsoring groups are hosting a luncheon with a prominent na-

At this writing the majority of the speakers ale not confirmed. In a later issue of The Merchant we will cover' the program and speakers.

Several of our members attended the NLBMDA meeting held at Miami Beach. They ale our association president Ace Mason, Jay O'Malley and Virgil Hunt, O'Malley Companies, Larry Hamman, national executive committeeman and yours truly.

Where the Blome Belongs

Those who want to refute tke oftquoted inaccuracy that the increased cost of housing is due primarily to the cost of lumber would do well to quote the following from a Bisrqarck, No. Dakota, paper, forwarded by John Slavens of Slavens LumberSales in Billings, Montana.

The item: "In 1968. lumber dealer

Bob Larson sold a customer the lumber, cabinetg hardware, windows, doors, etc., for a nice three-bedroom house with a garage. At the time the total bill tabulated from some 80 invoices aggregated $7,300.

"Last week, the sarne man approached Larson and said he had a friend who wanted to build an iden. tical home and asked what the cur. rent cost of the materials would be.

"Larson refigured the cost of the materials on each of the 80 invoices and totaled them up to $60810, or $490 less than two years ago.

'oThe lumberman points out that his products are one of the few that have declined in the interval, cautioning however, that the sales tax increased from three to four percent, adding about $70 to the total. and reducing the net savings to $420."

Ole's Loves the lodies

A demonstration of The Flintkote Co.'s Peel-n-Stick floor tiles was featured at all six branches of Ole's Hardware stores during a recent chain-wide promotion.

Accent of the four day event was on the women customers with a Sfth anniversary celebration of the l9th amendment (women's right to vote). Free orchids and prizes were given away while the ladies voted in Ole's mock elections for a woman president.

And the forest products industry will be among the leaders in enhancing the environment of both the city and the country. That's the outlook of Wendell B. Barnes, exec. vp. of the Western Wood Products Association.

"Dr. Arthur F. Burns, head of the Federal Reserve Board, has expressed the opinion that if a restrictive monetary policy is pursued very long, it will damage the economy,'o Barnes pointed out.

"He also has said that he believes the economy is in the process of lev-