RUSSELL, lnc.

FIR.TEX DIVISION

. DOUGTAS FIR

O REDWOOD

WESTERN RED CEDAR

O PORT ORFORD CEDAR

PONDEROSA PINE

O CEDAR SHINGTES

.

DOUGLAS FIRPTYWOOD

COOS BAY HARDBOARD

BY SHIP. RAIL.

. FIR-TEX TItE.PIANK-BOARD

FIR.TEX ACOUSTICAT TItE

. FIR-TEX ROOFDEK

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FIR.TEX SHEATHING

DOUGTAS FIRPLYWOOD

. CORAIITE

O JALOUSIES

. ROOFING

. IEXTOIITE PTASTIC SURFACING o TRUEK AXO TRAILER lems confronting the association and the industry. A partial list of those problems are: moulding catalogs, lumber grades, smog, safety, finance, membership, etc.

A total of 75 men have been working on these committees. Their purpose was to tackle and solve, if possible, those common problems that need the combined efforts of many dealers. There are many such problems and, if we can find solutions, the solving helps to make for prosperity in the lumber business. Above all, the one problem that you dealers would like to have an answer for is, "How can the price level of the lumber we sell be raised ?" Well, to date this year, we have spent $3,500 in legal fees to get the solution, but so far our lawyers have said "No." We hope that in 1956 tl-rere will be more direct efforts made, with the law, to ele.i'ate the profit margin for our memberdealers.

No lumber dealer can make a profit unless he has a good knowledge of the cost of doing business. For this reason, for several years we have put out a "Cost of Doing Business Survey," the best in the United States. This survey shows in averages the itemized cost of operating retail lumberyards in Southern California. With it, you can compare your own operation with the average. The survey report cannot be purchased by a non-participant for a thousand dollars, but if you are a member of this association and you furnish your operating figures, you can have it free.

A spirit of cooperation among lumbermen of an area is so necessary. To develop such a feeling, your association has tried to increase the meetings of the lumbermen in the various llistricts-we have tried to improve the quality of the Biltmore luncheons and the Palm Springs Conference for retailers. This year your association held, for the first time, a Conference for Active and Associate members at the Ambassador hotel. It was a tremendous success and others will be held in the future. We had over 200 at the Palm Springs meeting last fall and over 125 Active and Associate members at the Ambassador meeting in January.

Our theme in these meetings should be "Cooperation" and not "Competition." Isn't it senseless to be too competitive price-wise ? If through meetings and luncheons we get to knolv other dealers r,r,ell, and rve like them, we are not apt to "cut-throat." If our sales manag'ers know other sales managers, then perhaps they will not be quite so suspicious or vindictive-if they lose a sale. So through these meetings, rve hope that there may be created a spirit of Cooperation and not Competition. This year there have been groups meeting together that have not met before. Friendship is tl.re purpose of these meetings-and through them you get the tools lvith which to become l'Friendly Cooperators" and not "Unfriendly Competitors."

This year, a new set of by-laws have been adopted which provides for annual elections. There are 22 directors and this coming year there will be six new faces on the board. Through these new directors it is hoped that there will be a constant influx of ner,v ideas and new energ'y. We u'ant to avoid a stagnation of ideas. We also want to avoid inexperience. So with a few nerv directors each year, elected by their neighbor dealers, and a return to office of the rnajority who have the wisdom of years behind them, rve hope the association will move forward in an efficient, orderly