nntMt t td,n, t/ Say Happy l{ew Year €t belp enA-bredst cztncer

Use this low-cost opportunity to deliver New Year's greetings to your customers, friends and suppliers-and help Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which for nearly 30 years has been leading the global movement to end breast cancer. Your business card-reprinted in color and reduced slightly to 2-3/8" x 1-3l9"-*ill appear in a special section in the January issue of Tbe Merchant Magazine as well as its sister magazine east of the Rockies, Building Products Digest.The cost for each ad is just $100, $25 of which is tax deductible and will be matched by us-for a total donation of $50 to Komen for the Cure.

Doing your part is easy: bottom line is that most people start looking and choose to leave an organization based on perceived negative interactions with management.

Just send us your business card(s) before Dec. 20, along with a check for $100 per card-or $200 per card to appear in both Tbe Merchant and BPD-to Cutler Publishing, 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660.

So how does one turn the tide from transaction to interaction?

It's all about the level of participation in that conversation. How are you participating in the conversation? How are you listening? Are you an active participant as a listener? Or are you thinking about what to say next or envisioning the other person with a big "L" on their forehead, as in "Loser..." "How many times have we heard this before?" "Here she eoes asain..."

Good managers and leaders understand that conversations require participation. It's more than "just the facts." They understand that when they speak to colleagues, employees, customers or suppliers, they are conveying multiple messages:

The content of the message: is it clear and consistent with the organization's policies and practices?

. The delivery of the message: is the delivery consistent with the organization's core values, such as "respect," "integrity" or "good communication."

. The quality of interaction: are you really listening? Is it participative?

If you are looking for improved employee engagement or increased customer retention, an easy and cost effective place to start is by examining your conversations. Are you talking about things that are relevant and important to the other person?

Chatting about the weather or the latest sports scores are okay, but unless you are a meteorologist or sports broadcaster or coach, you'll get more mileage with an interaction that is focused on the person, their work, or their purchase.

One Gonversation at a Time

Authentic interaction is heartfelt, but not sappy, and comes from a place of caring and wanting to be of service or making a difference. It's about leaving the other person feeling glad they had the interaction with you.

Even difficult conversations can be authentic, caring and leave a person feeling respected. How do you start? One conversation at a time.

Start by really listening to the con- versations that you're having with people. Are you approaching it like a transaction or an opportunity for authentic interaction? Do you care enough about yourself, your organization, and the people with whom you converse to choose to have authentic interactions? choose to change it with your next conversation.

If not, just know that you may be missing out on opportunities to make a difference in someone else's life or closed to the possibility that someone might make a difference in yours.

It's just a choice. And you can

Dan Fesler, Lampert Yards, St. Paul, Mn.

Dec. 9 is the Colorado WOOD Council's annual holiday celebration at Mile High Stadium, Invesco Field, Denver.

- Marty Stanley, president of Dynamic Dialog, is an author, speaker and Jacilitator. Contact him at (816) 822-4047 or mar ty st anl ey @ a I t e rin go utc ome s.c om. Lumber Association of California & Nevada honored outgoing president Laurie Vance, The Mill Yard, Arcata, Ca., and welcomed new president J.D. Saunders, Economy Lumber, Campbell, Ca., during its recent convention in San Francisco, Ca. (see photos on following two pages )

Other just-installed officers are lst v.p. Richard McArthur, Ojai Lumber, Ojai, Ca.; 2nd v.p. Augie Venezia, Fairfax Lumber & Hardware, Fairfax, Ca., and treasurer Bobby Senften, Friedman Home Improvement, Santa Rosa, Ca. Chris Freedman, Ganahl Lumber, Anaheim, Ca., is president of 2nd Growth.

The board of directors now includes John Mensinger, American Lumber, Modesto, Ca.; Monika Bartko, Stock Building Supply, Los Angeles. Ca.: Vic Hausmaninger. CPA, Hausmaninger, Benoe, Lang, Alford & Gesselowitz. Irvine. Ca.: Bob Shepherd, Sierra Pacific Industries, Anderson, Ca., and Seamus O'Reilly, LP Corp., Fairfield, Ca.

Ganahl's Jim Taft received the President's Award for his long-time contributions and involvement. Bob Maurer, Swanson Group Sales, Glendale, Or., was named Associate of the Year for his involvement over the years.

The holiday party for 2nd Growth is set for Dec. 2 at the Sheraton, Cerritos, Ca.

Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association is staging a series of webinarsNov. 18 covering electrical safety and Dec. 7 and Dec. 16 addressing slips, trips and falls.

A workshop on blueprint reading and material take-off will be offered Dec. 8-9 at the Holiday Inn Central, Denver, Co. Casey Voorhees, executive director of the Western Building Material Association, will lead.

BuiHing-Produriscom

Western Building Material Association will gather Feb. 9-11 at the Tulalip Resort, Tulalip, Wa., for its annual convention. The Young Westerners Club will hold its annual meeting Feb. 10-13 at the same location.

National Lumber & Buitding Material Dealers Association installed Joe Collings, c.e.o., Ferguson Lumber, Rockville, In., as chairman, replacing outgoing chair

Other new officers are chair-elect Cally Coleman Fromme, Zarsky Lumber, Victoria, Tx.; lst vice chair Chuck Bankston, Bankston Lumber, Barnesville, Ga.; 2nd vice chair Chris Yenrick, Smith-Phillips Building Supply, Winston-Salem, N.C.; treasurer Linda Nussbaum, Kleet Lumber, Huntington, N.Y.; manufacturers & services council chair Carlos Guilherme, Weyerhaeuser, Federal Way, Wa., and federated association executives chair Chris Quinn, Kentucky Building Materials Association.

Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman's Club has scheduled its annual holiday party for Dec. I 1 at Orange Hill Restaurant, Orange, Ca.

Superior Wood Treating offers he best in naturally beautiful, pressure-treated DouglasJir and Hem-tir wood for a full range of building needs, including: o l'lewl o-Blazeo Fre Rehrdant Wood forframing and inbdon

Preserreo ACoo wood for proven, long-term plotocton against decay and brmibs, euen in tbe harsh€st environmenb r limbe6avpPPI Eorab Pr$urB-Trcabd Wood for tramiq, rhors and mor€

SupalimbeP Pressure-Treabd wood for industial and commercial use

MORE LACN (continued from previous page)'.l1l Victor Fresca, Bob Shepherd, Joe Lawrence. [2] Danny Sosa, Shannon Mott. [3] Al & Stephanie Stockton, Matt Peterson. [4] Mark & Melinda Ganahl, Amparo & Steve Patterson. [5] Chuck Casey, Dr. Patrick Moore. [6] Jim Taft, Rick Roberts. [7] Karsten Vardas. [8] David Jones, Eric Ziedrich, David Thom. [9] Josh Milton, David Cruz, Chuck Bohn. [10] Al Newkirk. [11] Cheryl & Tom von Moos. [12] Jean Hennlng, Rick Hogue. [13] Jamie Taylor, Bill Kuhn. [14] Bob Palacioz, Phil Schumock. [15] Marion Newkirk. [16] Peter & Barbara Ganahl. [17] Tim Dickison, Bobby Senften. [18] Micheyl Barnett, Charlene Valine. [19] Bill Can, Ryan Mitchell. [20] Tanka Chase & Kelly Ayers-Chase. [21] Dee Dee Graham, Pam Petersen.

Rates: $1.20 per word (25 word min.). Phone number counts as 1 word, address as 6. Centered copy or headline, $9 per line. Border, $9. Private box, $15. Column inch rate: $55 if art furnished "camera-ready" (advertiser sets the type), $65 if we set the type.

Send ad to Fax 949-852-0231 or dkoenig@ building-products.com. For more

Lumber Trader

We are a wholesale lumber company looking for an experienced trader. Any species. No restrictions on mills or customers. No relocation.60Vo split for trader. Call John at Lakeside Lumber at (623) 566-7100 or email lakesidelumber@cox.net.

Management Position Wanted

General Manager with over 25 years of experience in the building supply industry seeking challenging career position. Successful work history in business development, management and analysis with a background increasing profits and setting sales records. Building industry experience includes sales, marketing, purchasing, advertising, estimating, budgeting and accounting. Motivated, professional candidate with superior leadership skills willing to relocate for the right opportunity. Contact lVlike at mike@wcsir.com.

info, call (949) 852-1990. Make checks payable to Cutler Publishing. Deadline: 18th of previous month. To reply to ads with private box numbers, send corespondence to box number shown, c/o The Merchant Magazine, 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660, or dkoenig@building-products.com. Names of advertisers using a box number cannot be released.

OFFICE & WAREHOUSE FOR LEASE:

Northern California Sacramento region. Approximately 2O00-sq. ft. office attached to 30,000-sq. ft. warehouse. Warehouse clear span height 20 ft. Office & restrooms ADA accessible. Warehouse includes three-man doors with large 20-ft. roll-up door. 220V power available. Fire sprinkler system throughout. Truck shop facilities provided. including minor repair work, oil changes, steam cleaning, etc., at favorable rates. Ample truck parking space in back of facility. If additional space is needed, an option on additional 30,000-sq. ft. warehouse will be available soon. Office & 30,000sq. ft. front warehouse available at .290 per sq. ft. Option for rear warehouse .25 per sq. ft. If interested, please call Tom Williams, (530) 742-2168,between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Turnkey Contractor

lumberyard for lease in Stockton, California. l0+ acres. 18,000-sq. ft. covered storage and fully operational mill. 3000-sq. ft. fully furnished office space, wireless Internet enabled. BNSF rail served. Rolling stock (i.e., forklifts, semis & flatbed trailers) included if needed. Contact Randall Richards, (7 l4) 231-4705:' rrichards@rwli.net.