E!a - newsandwews

by BOB McBRIEN executive vice president of the Lumber Merchonts Associotion of Norlhern Colifornio

OST FIRMS BEGIN a new year on January 1, but for the Lumber Merchants Association the annual convention held each spring designates a new start. And what a new stat we had this year! *

Our 25th annual convention just completed at Monterey was the biggest and best we have ever held. Some 300 persons took part in a cram'packed three day program which was highlighted by the eleciion of Charlie Dart, K-Y Lumber Co., Fresno, as our new president. Picked to serve along with Charlie were vice presi' dent Homer Hayward, Homer T. Hayward Lumber Company, Salinas, and treasurer Stan Gustafson, Sierra Mill and Lumber Co.. Sacramento.

With these t'new" men at the helm and a dozen "new" mem' bers on our board of directors, you can be sure the "new" look of LMA will continue in the months ahead. Programs are already underway as discussed in the last issue of the Lumber Merchant which detailed our In-Yard Safety Clinic. Another program is being planned lor top management and will take place this fall. And rnore educational Programs to be staged at a local level are now beine formulated.

I may be presumptuous in believing that some of the dealers, suppliers and manufacturers reading this column are not members of'LMA-but I welcome your interest in our activities and would like to take this occasion to invite you to join with us in our daily attempt to improve our industry. We know we can't do it alone. We need the help of all who derive their livelihood from sales of lumber and building materials sold at the local retail level. How about it? Just call a member or my office today and we will be pleased to provide you with full details on how you can benefit lrom membership in LMA. The number is 941-1617, Area Code 415.

On pages t4-f5-f6 in this issue of rhe Lumber Merchant you will find Max Cook's fine run-down on our 25th annual crnven' vention at Monterey. Our monthly bulletin also contains a factfrlled report on the meeting for all those who unforunately couldn't be with us.

One decision made by the membership which should be of considerable interest is the location of the 26th annual convention -Harvey's Wagon Wheel at Lake Tahoe, May I-3, 1966. Mark your calendar now to save the dates. We would like to have you with us.

As this issue goes to press, LMA will be serving as hosts to the District 5 and 7 meeting of Western Lumber Dealer Associations in San Francisco. This meeting is the second of several planned to increase the efiectiveness of our associations in helping dealers to solve common problems. Representatives of the Northwest, Montana and Los Angeles groups will meet with our representa' tives and a report on the outcome will be forthcorning.

I.T, BUT TR

The following statement was made about the METRA-CUT system, featuring the METRA-CUT SPEED SHOP, by a nationally known lumber company whose name is available on request:

"We feel that this unit paid for itself in the trimming of one order of approximately 9O,OOO board feet, and will save us money for years to come , We heartily recommend your METRA-CUT SPEED SHOP to any operation for the precision measuring and cutting of lumber."