11061 44,2'2120 Nfl ON]TANA N trWS

By R. V. PETERSE]I executivs secletary

A TTENDING the annual meeting of fr 51314pA in Phoenix and represent' ing our Montana association were Bill Aldrich, Aldrich & Company, Billings; Brooks Robinson, Grogan-Robinson Lum' ber Co., Gt. Falls; and R. V. Petersen, MBMDA office, Helena. In official capac' ity Bill attended as a member of the na' tional legislative advisory committee. Brooks wore two hats: he is chairman of the national budget committee, and also sat in as alternate national dealer-director, substituting for A. A. Kind who found it necessary to cancel trip plans at a late date.

The winter meeting of the MBMDA board of directors will be held December 1l at the association offices in Helena. Arrangements have been made to have available a demonstration unit of the projector adapted for use in the visual information program. It is questionable whether any ol tlr" do-it-yourself filrns will be available at that date to permit a preview of the complete package. Howevero actual demon' stration of the equipment will provide practical illustration of this merchandis' ing concept. It is readily agreed that the vip program holtls tremendous possibil' ities for tlle dealer, yet he hesitates to buy " "pig in the poke." With actual demon' stration, "seeing is believing."

With the advent of winter, it is natural that dealers concentrate on repaid, re' model and home improvement sales. Recent months have seen seriously declining activity in new construction, with the re' sult that relatively few jobs are at the "closed-in" stage to provide cold-weather finishing work. Home improvement activity has, on the other hand, been increasingly a mainstay of retail sales, and has warranted much of a dealer's time and attention.

Blqck Bort Glub Eleclions

Everett E. ooole" Johnson, Pacific Wood Preserving, is the new president of Black Bart Hoo-Hoo Club 181. Other ofrcers are Don Michaelson, American International Forest Products, lst vp; ttDuke" Douthig Al Thrasher Lumber Co., 2nd vp.

Directors are Art Bond and Joe Bowman, West Range Coqp.; Bob Jenson, Jenson's Truck Shop; Bill Smith and Lowell Ambrosini, Crawford Lumber; Ed Hamson, Hamson Lumber; Del Cole, Rounds Lumber; Bill Openshaw, Redwood Coast; Russ McDonnell, Al Thrasher Lumber Co.

The past president is Bill Chase, Bill Chase Lumber Co.. and the club advisor is Joe Mayfield of Mendo Mill.

Londmqrk Yord is Closing

One of Modesto's old-time businesses has decided to liquidate and wind up its corporate life alter 67 profitable years of operation. The Stanislaus Lumber Co. was established in 1902 by a syndicate of local northern California business men, headed by C. R. Tillson.

Managing the firm during the greater part of its life was J. U. Gartin. It became known as the "log cabin trading post," and was a well-known landmark with its log cabin office, and statue of a donkey tied to a hitching post in front.

By R0SS KINCAID executive vice president

nUR NATIONAL dealer director. Bill

\-/ St,harpf of Scharpf's Twin Oaks Builders Supply in Albany, Ore., attended the NLBMDA annual in Phoenix, and has the following, encouraging report:

National is alive, and living in Phoenix!

This short statement seems to sum up the feeling most of us had this year for the future of our national association. For the first time in my memory, the consensus was one of unanimity; the national has a real place in the needs of the dealer and is filling it.

As dealers we have a voice, a representa- tion on Capitol Hill, we have an image. and that image is national representing us as dealers with a voice 11,000 members strong. And it is working. Washington listens now when we speak.

Perhaps the catalyst for this new feeling of oneness came from the managing officers of the federateds when they agreed to underwrite approximately $134,000 of the new budget and gave us the following statement o{ intent: except 40/o oI the manufacturers council income, be allocated to the accomplishment of that primary objective of NLB[,IDA.'' l/olume ol business for the first 8 months of 1969 compared to same period in 1968 was up fior 46/o of those replying, down lor l9/c, same for 35/o. National averages were up-57 /o, down-26o/a, same-L7 Jb.

"The federated associations reaffirm their desire that the primary objective of the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association is an effective and productive legislative, go\'ernmental affairs and intra-industry relations program. To this end it is recommended that all NLBMI)A income.

It is prophetic that this meeting was held in Phoenix, the city named after the mythical Egyptian bird that is reborn out of the ashes of its own self-destruction.

The following excerpts were taken from the Analysis of Dealer Business Conditions Survey made by national and covering Western's four states plus Montana. It should he noted that the sun'ey was among association directors so the number of replies is relatively smal,.

Net Profits for first B months ol 1969 compared to same period in 1968 was up for 54c/o of those replying, down Ior 44/o, same for 2/r. National averages were up l$a/6, rlown 40a/6, same 25Vo.