Notionol Plywood Distributors Hold Highly Successful Western Regionol Conclqve in L. A.

More than 100 plywood distributors, their executives and saleEmen attended the western regional meeting of the National Plywood Distributors Assn. at the Los Angeles Ambassador hotel. March 25.

As a gesture of hospitality and welcome, the Southern California Plywood Association members entertained.the group the evening before at a candlelight social affair which included cocktails, dinner and no speakers.

Southern California Plywoodmen Host Party

Many marketing executives from plywood mills attended this highly 'informative and successful event, along with leaders in the industry from the middlewest and east. They all agreed western hospitality is very hard to beat.

Promptly at 9:45 a.m., NPDA President T. lI. Hammer, of Chicago, called the meeting to order with a few straightfrom-the-shoulder remarks of welcome. He immediately shifted the day-long meeting into high gear following introduction of two' past presidents of the association, Leonard Hall and Emory Moore, both from Portland, Ore.

The first speaker was W. D. "Dub" Page, executive vicepresident, Plywood Fabricators Service, Inc., who held the attention of his audience for more than an hour with his illustrated talk and informative pictures, in color, of the many highly technical and glamorous uses of plywood components developed through constant research in afifrliation with the DFPA. lle was well-informed, dynamic, and optimistic for the future of the diversified product he is promoting at the remanufacturing level.

Next on the agenda was past-president Emory Moore, who gave a hard-hitting resume on Softwood Plywood matters. He pulled no punches in his talk, which covered all phases of plywood manufacturing, distribution and sales. He let the chips fall where they may and he received the undivided attention of all in attendance.

The field of Particle Board was thoroughly covered by Wm. F. Forrest, president, Plywood Manufacturers Institute, Dillard, Oregon. He discussed the current program of his organization to improve plywood distribution at all levels.

He had with him Dr. N. H. Engle, professor of marketing, University of Washington, who is presently directing PMI's brain-storming program to complete and ferret oul the disturbing problems of the industry. Dr. Engle has been associated with marketing since 1921 and has served as consultant on business and economic problems with some of the largest corporations in the United States, including Boeing, General Electric and Weyerhaeuser.

"This is one of the most important projects that has been undertaken by the industry in more than 20 years," said Mahlon S. Munson, managing director of the NPDA.

Being recognized nationally as an authority in this field, Dr. Engle received the solid attention of everyone in the room. He declared the success of this vast stabilizing pro-

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