
2 minute read
Here's Howoii
By PUT R0BBINS Executive Director, Hawaiian Wood Products Association
fN UARLY 1960, a small group o[ forr rrard-looking Honolulu lumbermerr l,t'gan to organize for the grorvth they couk{ s(-'e was due for Hawaii as the 50th Statt'.
They knew competition was massing for a lull-blown assault on traditional market,s for wood products. Two cement plants were being built with a combined capacity of three million barrels of cement a year. The market had nevcr used a million barrels a year to that point. An aluminum extrusion plant was being considered and several aluminum fabrication operations were being organized. Pre-stressed concrete and cement block plants were being built or expanded.
Clint Hallsted, then a m.alahini (newcomer) and just beginning to get Honolulu Wood Treating Company rolling, could see Honolulu's lumbermen were not oreanized to meet this competition. Kamaaini (o1,1-
MR. REIAII. DEAI.TR: timer) lumbermcn. Bob Lawder o{ American Factors. Jim Lor.ell of Lewers & Cooke and Al Hastings oI Hawaii Builders Supply. agreed with Clint.
F irst they re-organized Honolulu HooHoo Club #I\2, r:hartered 1n 1952, but inat'tive and mostly dt'ad. Thcy reasoned that unless lumbermen could fir-.t gg1 togcther under the guiding principles of Hoo-Hoo, lhere would ,be little t:hance to {orm a sur't'essful local wood liromotion organization.
Honolulu Hoo-Hoo Club #142 was reactil.ated at a meeting held May 4, 1960. Harvey Koll. Rameses 5.1., served as visiting Hoo-Hoo for the concatenation oI thirty kittens. Bill Whiles o{ Vancouver" B. C., also served as an initiating officcr. Since that time Club #I42 has remained active under the able guidance oI . . you guessed it, State f)eputy Snark Jim Lovell and Vicegerent Snark Clint Hallsted. Current Club President John Whitmarsh and V.P. Dan f,ckawa lead an aggresivc membership of sixty-five lumbermen.
One year later, April l, 196l the Wood Products Association of Hawaii rvas formed as a local wood promotion group. At first the WPAH was thought of as mainly an advertising and promotional media. Bob Johnston, now advertising and merchandising manager for Veyerhaeuser Company in Tacoma, was hired to set up an o{fice, organize an advertising and promotion program. and do r:ountless other johs
D. C. ESSLEY ond SON mointoins o well bolonced SHED INVENTORY of QUALITY DRY REDWOOD
. AYE & CIEAR PATTERN STOCK
. BEVELED SIDING & S4S reody for immediote delivery-or pickup
No Order Too Smoll
Just try us for PRICE & SERVICE to gt'i thc WPAH rolling. Hardly a rveek goes by that I am not made aware of the fine work Bob Johnston did here before moving on to greener pastures.
Today WPAH is active as a technical in. formation center for the local lumbcr industry, architects, engineers and home builders. Last year we made 309 individual, specific calls on specifiers and code authorities; ran 112 ads and developed 2,I,trS column inches of publicity for the rvood industry. We also answered over 600 individual requests for literature.
Even with all of this efiort by local lumbermen and the association wc knorv that we are only at the threshold of our goals in marketing and promotion of wood. Bzr,J, rvc arc now well organized and gaining strength e\-er\- 1r€ar. We fcel that WPAH is unique as a local level wood promotion orsan ization.
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As you all must realize, everything is ju-st a little bit better in Hawaii than the N{ainland's best. While we realize this, we're not selfish about it and are willing to share. V'e'll swap mistakes and our little knowledge with anyone interested. Come to Hawaii, bring lots of U. S. currency and stay long. You'll go home wiser, full of aloha, suntanned and healthy. You will also have the good feeling of having contributed gerrt'rouslv to our far,orite charity.
Willifs Redwood Produch
Willits, Colif.
Monufoclurers of: Certified Kiln Dried Redwood o
Beval Sidings Foctory Primed o Wropping . Loih r Rough & Milled Commons I Timbers o Member of c.R.A. & R.t.S.
Pockoged Lots o Truck & Troiler Shipmenis o Less
Thon Corlood Lots r Mixed Cor Shipments o Dry Kilns o Ploning Mill r Ponderoso Pine Boords o Siding
FoR PROMPT EFFICIENT sERVlcE CALL: RApnond 3-1147 or PArkviry t-7s8IJ