,\I[THO'S WHO'N

Gordon D. Pierce

Gordon Depew Pierce, treasurer and manager of the Boorman Lumber Company, Oakland, the subject of this sketch, is one of the best liked and most capable of the younger executives in the retail lumber industrv of California.

Born in a lumber camp at Kalispell, Mont., in July 1900, he becarne a lumberman by absorption, beginning his career by working in a lumber office on Saturdays while attending school.

After completing high school at Great Falls. Mortt., he entered the University of Washington, and when through the university went into the retail lumber business in California. Later he took an architectural course, which has been of great value to him in helping his customers visualize their desires, and also in giving the proper advice regarding adopted building codes and ordinances.

In 1923 he married Miss Frances Timmons of St. Paul, a college girl and a Kappa Delta-he belongs to the Sigma Nu fraternity. They have two children.

Mr. Pierce has been active in the affairs of Hoo Hoo, having served East Bay Club No. 39 as president in 1936. He was leader for several years in the Christmas charity work sponsored by Club No. 39, which annually provided 400 barrels of wholesome food for needy families in the East Bay area.

Like many other busy men he is public spirited, and when appointed on committees does the work well and thoroughly.

He loves his home and fireside. but when athletic teams from his Alma Mater visit the San Francisco Bay region, Gordon slams down his desk and establishes himself in the rooting section, and oh boy, can he root !

It is a part of his business philosophy that a merchant should make lasting friends of his customers. He is a believer in the gospel of work and service, and thinks that much of the secret of business success lies in the cultivation of such qualities as honesty, sincerity, courtesy perseverance, thoroughness, enthusiasm and co-operation.

wrTH J. E. PEGGS

Paul McCusker, formerly with Donovan Lumber Company, San Francisco, is now with J. E. "Eddie" Peggs, Northern California representative for Anderson & Middleton Lumber Company, and Empire Lumber Company, as salesman.

Lumber Takes Lead in Forest Protection Program

Washington, D. C., April 9.-Adopting a three-fold program of action yesterday in Washington, the lumber industry took the lead, in conference with representatives of Federal, State and other public agencies, in setting up a thorough going prog'ram of forest protection and conservation.

At a Forest Conservation Conference called by the President of the National Lumber Manufacturers Association, W. B. Nettleton, held at the Washington headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, the industry presented a program of continually improved methods of forest management for the production of lumber and other materials.

This program is to be aided and extended in scope by Federal and State support toward the removal of recognized obstacles to continuous forest ownership, such as inequitable tax systems, inability to obtain long-time credits and the public's failure to meet its responsibility in the prevention of forest fires.

Hope was expressed also that the cooperative protection principle and plan of joint maintenance of State and private forests for sustained timber production might receive legislative and administration attention in the near future.

J. W. Ferguson, State Forester of Oregon, expressed the general cooperative attitude of all state foresters in the program-in which other public agencies concurred.

G. F. Jewett was elected chairman of the Forest Conservation Committee of N.L.M.A., a permanent group representing the constituent regional associations.

Elected to serve on the executive committee of the Forest Conservation Committee are the following: G. F. Jewett, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho i John \Matzek, Jr., vice-chairman, Chicago, Illinois; Julian F. McGowin, Chapman, Alabama; C. S. Chapman, Tacoma, Washington; John M. Bush, Negaunee, Michigan; J. J. Farrell, Poland, New York.

Industry also has invited the following other industry and public agencies to be represented in an advisory capacity: Department of Agriculture, Department of Interior, Department of Commerce, State Forestry Association, American Forestry Association, American Pulpwood Association, American Pulp & Paper Association, Chamber of Commerce of the United States, National Farm Organizations.

JOINS NATIONAL LUMBER MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION STAFF'

H. J. Fox has been added to the staff of the N.L.M.A. for work in connection with the fire resistance work of the Association. Mr. Fox previously served the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, having charge of all fire insurance matters of that Association's insurance department; also serving as secretary to the National Fire Waste Council. He served as production. manager with the Royal-Liverpool groups of fire insurance companies. Ifis entrance into the fire insurance business was through the medium of the Michigan Inspection Bureau which prepares fire insurance rates for virtually all properties within that state.

Buifding Permits in First Quarter o( 1937 Show Marked Increase

Continuing the sharp upward movement shown in February, the building industry, as measured by the value of permits issued in 2I5 cities of the United States, showed further marked improvement during March. The total for the month just passed reached $12l,102,610, exceeding all records for March since 1931 and the largest monthly figure reported since May of that year, according to Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. The increase over the February permit volume of. $5,784,414 amounted to 41.2 per cent.

Permits issued during the first quarter of. 1937 in the 215 cities aggregated $275,4n,852. This was the largest for any similar period since 1931, and represented a rise of 49.2 per cent above the first three months of last year and more than two and a half times the first quarter of 1935.

The three months' record of building permit valdes by geographical groups for 1937 and 1936, for the 215 cities, as compiled by Dun & Bradstreet, fnc., is given herewith:

The following table compares the permit value totals at twenty leading cities for the first three months of this year and last:

I Business, gentlemen, is good. The begt we've seen in yearg.

What does this mearr to you? Simply that architects, builders and contractors everywhere a;e using and specifying lar,odent building materials in place of the old.

They're callingr for Perforated Rocklaththe lireproof lath that makes stronger walls, that makes the linest of bases for plaster. No other lath made can deliver equal performance at anywhere near its low price.

Be prepared to supply this demandthere's a nearby USG mill or warehouse which has a complete stock always on hand. Let your customerg know that you have it. It pays!

Ihree Profit Makers that llaturally Sell Together

PERFORATED NOCETATH

RED TOP GYPSUM PTASTERS

GYPTAP

MORT BOOTH \,\IITH CHAMBERLIN

M. L. Booth, formerly with Hobbs Wall & Company, San Francisco is now selling for W. R. Chamberlin & Company, San Francisco.