Building material distributors' 27th annual convention

A T THEIR recent 27th Annual Fl Fall Convention in Los ,{ngeles, the National Building Material Distributors Association (NBMDA) elected rhe followins officials:

President: Robert E. Martin, president of Schultz. Snvder & Steele Lumber Co., Lansing, Mi.l lst v.p.: O. Raford Cade, senior v.p. of Slaughter Brothers, Inc.. Dallas. Tx.t 2nd v.p.: Richard E. Lundgren, exec. v.p. and chief operating officer of Palmer G. Lewis Co., Auburn, Wa., and treasurer: Richard A. Kasper, president of Amerhart Ltd., Green Bay, Wi.

New Directors

Elected for three-year terms as directors were: D.T. "Denny" Bennett, president of Benco Buildine Products, Inc., Greensburg, Pa.l Lewis A. Jert, Jr., president of Jett & Co., Norfolk. Va.l and Robert E. Westing, president of Westing Co., Grand Rapids, Mi.

Continuing their terms as directors for two more years are: Richard M. Bader, president of Acme International, Inc.. Portland. Or.: Robert H. Birdsell, president of Fessenden Hall, Inc., Pennsauken. N.J.; Donald E. Mogg, president of Trans-Lite Distributors'Ltd., Richmond, British Columbia: Perrv N. lparks, president of Lumberyard Supply Co., St. Louis, Mo.: and J. Hays Wimsatt, president of Wimsatt Brothers, Inc.. Louisville. Kv.

Continuing to serve on the board for the last year of their three-year term are: William C. Beabout, president of Shelby Dealers Supply, Inc.. Shelbyville, in.; H Buff Hbrr, v.p. of Bayonne Steel Products Co., Totowa. N.J.; David C. Menne. v.p. of Huttig Sash & Door Co., St. Louis, Mo.i and Robert C. Turner. v.p. of Fischer Lime & Cement Co.. Memphis, Tn.

Honored on the completion of their three-year terms as NBMDA directors were: Richard A. Kasper of Amerhart Ltd., Green Bay, Wi.; Richard E. Lundgren of Palmer G. Lewis Co., Auburn. Wa.: and David P. Whiteside of Triangle Distributors, lnc., Tupelo, Ms.

Workshop Series

NBMDA announced their 1979 Distributor Workshop Series. Four major topics will be covered: sales and marketing; business perpetuation and estate planning; sales management; and profit management.

The series of three sales and marketing workshops will be held at the following: Jan. l0-12, 1979, Red Lion Motor Inn. Sacramento. Ca.: Jan. I 7- I 9, I 979, Marriorr Inn. Pittsburgh, Pa.: Jan. 24-26, 1979. Hilton Inn, Oklahoma City. Ok. This program is the mainstay of NBMDA's Continuing Education Workshop which provides practical, concrete ideas to upgrade the building material salesmen's selling and marketing skills. The workshop leader will be F.C. "Bud" Rebedeau, President of KieltyRebedeau & Associates, Arlington Heights, Il.

Two workshops will be held on business perpetuation and estate planning. Locations and dates are: Feb. 7-11. 1979. Islandia Hvart House, San Diego, Ca.; and Feb: 28 through March 4, 1979. Hilton Head Hyatt House, Hilton Head, SC.

The program provides assistance in the critical area of survival and perpetuation of the family-owned company and its impact on estate planning. Husband and wife teams are invited to attend.

The NBMDA sales management workshop series will be held Feb. 2l-23,1979 at the Red Lion Motor Inn, Jantzen Beach, Portland, Or.: March 7-9,1979, Rye Town Hilton

Inn, Rye, N.Y.l and March 14-16. 1979, Hilton Airport Plaza Inn, Kansas City, Mo. The objective of this series is to upgrade and improve "people handling" skills. This new, first-time series for NBMDA is based on interviews with sales managers of NBMDA distributor member companies. Major emphasis will be put on improving the productivity of sales people.

The profit management workshop will be held July 1l-13, 1979, at the Airport Sheraton Inn, Columbus, Oh. Dr. Ronald S. Foster, president of Management Foresight, Inc., Columbus. will be the moderator.

Further information can be obtained by writing or calling the NBMDA office at 55 E. Monroe St., Chicago, It. 60603. Qt2) 3327127.

Wholesaler Award

Rounds & Porter Co.. Wichita. Ks., as been named the 2nd annual winner of the Van Kirk Award for "The Outstanding Wholesaler Firm of the Year." This NBMDA award was presented to Ben W. Dean, senior v.p.-gen. manager of Rounds & Porter at the association's fall convention.

Five other distributor firms were also honored at NBMDA's conven- tion as regional winners: The Blount Lumber Co., Lacona, N.Y.; Amerhart Ltd., Green Bay, Wi.; Holston Builders Supply Co., Inc., Kingsport, Tn.; Gittings Lumber Co., Inc., Denver, Co.l and Canfor Limited, Hamilton, Ontario.

Each firm received an engraved plaque honoring its achievement. A total of 4,000 retailers and 250 manufacturers were involved in the balloting for this award.

Some Shifts Not Spectacular

(Continued from page 8) in new housing during the first part of the year.

To show the importance of the remodeling market, my own company's sales during most of 1978 were 22oh in that market. At the same time, despite near-record housing starts, the new residential construction market was onlv slightly larger for us at 2506 of total sales.

Barring an unlikely major recession or a deliberate effort of the government to cut the supply of money presently available for mortgages, we feel many people are overly pessimistic about building for 1979.

Western lumbermen continue to have problems with transportation costs, as the railroads continue to pass rate increase after increase on to shippers. This has contributed to the loss of markets for our product in the Northeast and the South and the shaping of the western lumber industry's largest market right here in the West. Also, there has been an exodus from shipping lumber by rail, and a substantial move toward trucking.

The disappointing aspect of the transportation dilemma is that all of our warnings appeared to fall on deaf ears. There is no indication from the railroads that they intend to increase productivity. Instead, they rely on freight rate increases to see them through their management problems.

The wood products manufacturing business is in virtually the same boat as the retailers, wholesalers and distributors. We are all patiently waiting and watching to see what effect, ifany, the projected economic slowdown will have on

December, 1978 housing and in turn, our industry. We will continue also to watch that consumer's attitude and see what effect this situation will have on him.

This should all add to the suspense and make for an interesting 1979.

Thol's How lt Goes!

Rr Car Shortage

(Continued from page 10) expected to continue at a steady pace.

California construction may drop off a bit for a variety of reasons, one being recently enacted stringent building codes. The effect of the passage of Proposition 13 on the Califomia housing market is uncertain, but it should not be detrimental.

Summing up next year's forecast for lumber and building materials as far as Burlington Northem is concemed, it remains a healthy market and one composed of some of our most important customers.

"A ,liiend ol mine needs a quick estimate on I0 w,indow.lrames. He'll lill us in later on size, length, and all that stttfJ. "

The Merchonl Mogozine

Forest Products Tra

P.O. Box 857 Ukiah, Ca.9548217O7)