Glen lliner Heods Whiting-ftleod Following Deqth of H. L. Xliner

The Builders'Market, Whiting-Mead Co. of San Diego, announces the election of Glen M. Miner, general manager, as president of the 46-year-old firm, succeeding to the office of his late father, the highly respected llarvey L. Miner, who died on March 12. Glen Miner was formerly a vicepresident of the retail lineyards.

F. Everett Miner, a brother of the new president and also active in the operation of the company's five yards, was elected a vice-president and succeeded as secretary-treasurer by John A. Kyncy. Paul E. Stake was re-elected a vicepresident and John T. Swan was added to the board of directors, replacing John W. Gardner, who has retired. The other directors are Carl M. Esenoff, Judge Gerald C. Thomas and Chester D. Whalen.

"The same sound policies by which the company developed under Dad's leadership will be continued, with no change in personnel or general operation of the company," President Glen Miner wrote The California Lumber Merchant, June 20.

The dealer reported to shareholders at the recent election meeting that company sales for the fiscal year ended February 28 were slightly below the previous year's but he expressed optimism for the future. He said the trend in the new fiscal year is up from a year ago and that sales techniques are being improved.

Every successful business is largely the story of an outstanding individual, and this is certainly true of the Whiting-Mead Co. of San Diego and Harvey L Miner, whose life was so much a part oil the company's early beginning, growtrh and successful operationand all this so rnuch a part of him,

The veteran lumber dealer, who died March 12 at ,the age of 85, w,as born on a farm at Murray, Nebraska, January 26, 1873. }fis parents, H. L. and two younger brothers came to California when he was 17, locating at Fowler to develop a f.arm. Harvey helped his folks, worked on a Santa Paula ranch, and threshed wheat in the San Joaquin Valley. In 1893, when young Miner was 20, a preacher from his Nebraska hometown came through Fowle,r and 'persuaded the young man to try the lum'ber b,usiness. Ilarvey Miner got a job at Robert McFadden's Newport Wharf & Lumber Co. in Santa Ana bucking lum'ber at 20 cents an hour, a lO-hour day. A few months convinced him there was no future for him in the lumber business and he returned to Fowler.

Young Miner married Miss Cora McCaw in 1895 and so,rnething took him back to the retail lumber field. The McFaddens gave him a job at their South Riverside (now Corona) yard, where he started up in the wodd at $50 per month. The couple moved to Santa Ana in 1896 and Miner remained with the McFaddens urtil the yard was sold. He then went to work for the Pendleton Lumber Co., also of Santa Ana.

In 19O2, 'H.L." and his family moved to San Pedro, where he worked for the L. W. Blinn Co. In 1903 he was put in charge of construction of the new Southwestern Lum,ber Co. at Wilrnington, which later became today's Consolidated Lurn,ber Co. In 1905 he moved again, this time to Long Beach, and associated himself with the I,nterstate Dock and Lumber Co.. and later with the BlinnRobinson Lum'ber Co. He remained in Long Beach for ten years, working for the Long Beach Impror,ement Co. which was later purchased by the Hayward Lumber Co.

In July 1912, W. H. Mead attended a Shrine convention in San Diego and met Ed Kavanagh, and together they got the five lumben companies of the city to go, 50,/50 with the Whiting-Mead Co. of Los Angeles to form a new San Diego corporation-the WhitingMead Commer'cial Co., with offices established at lst and G streets and the lumberyard and mill at the foot ol 22nd street.

When Mr. Kavanagh became discouraged in July 1916 and withdrew from the ,company, Mr. Mead sent H. L. Miner, t,hen a salesman for Whiting-Mead in Los Angetrs, to San Diego to take over, with the possibility of rep.resenting them in liquidation of the San Diego company. By July 1917, rpart of this liquidation had been accomplished as the San Diego lumberr interests had taken over the lum,ber sto'cks and equipment, and the Whiting-Mead Co. of Los Angeles took.oVer the 100x100 store building at lst and G, together with the merchandise, accounts receivable, a few pieces of real estate ar;d other items of doubtful value. The total assets were then

At t,he close od the business year 1917, i,t was decided to see if conditions would improve and the business continue. H. L. Miner was allowed to purchase a 25/o interest. The community started to grov/, the business expanded, and what was to tbecome the 14th and K store was established in 1919 at 15th and J streets as a wrecking yard where only used building materials were handled. The move to 14th and K was made in 1920, a branch store was started in East San Diego in 1921, and, the El Centro yard was opened in 1924. The Oceanside store followed in 1927 and the El Cajon branah 14 years later, in 1941.

In thc early years, "If. L." wore many hats. He was the store manager, kept the books, was purchasing agent and credit manager, and still found tirne to work on the sales foor at busy periods. It wae not unusual to see hirn helping a customer load on merchandise, or to assist in unloading a truck of roofing.

Mr. Miner realized, a lifelong ambition in 1944 (on that same J,uly I date which played so large a part in his career), when negotiations we.re completed for purchase of all assets of Whiting-Mead Co. of San Diego, including the main store and the San Diego and Irnperial c,ounties branches.

The new company survived a disastrous fire, September 20, l9M, at the l4th and K store, when the building and most of the contents were completely destroyed. But the lum'bermen moved into the shed aoross the street, using nail kegs for chairs and slab doors ior desks, and were able to continue trusiness in a day of wartime shortages thanks to the help of their suppliers.

In 1949 the partners,hip was dissolved and a corporation formedMiner & Co., Builders' Market-doing business as Whiting-Mead Co. of San Diego. In 1945 the National rCity store was established and, in 7947, the company purchased the Midway Trading Post on El Cajon boulevard, which became the College Center store after much rebuilding.

And so Harvey L. Miner was directly connec,ted with the lumber industry in Southern California for 63 years. One-half of his 85 years and a little over was devoted to the growth and development of Whiting-Mead Co., which he saw grow from one store with six em,ployes and a $14,000 investment, to five stores with 72 employes and an inves,tment many times t,he original amount "H. L." saved from "liquidation."

The Board of Directors of Whiting-Mead Co., Builders' Market, on March 25, following H. L. Miner's death, adopted a Resolution, which reads in part:

"Whereas, he has through his years of leadership and farsightedness successfully operated and erpanded, the business and endeared himsetf to his employes, associates, and customers by reason of his natiae abitity, sterling qualities, kindliness, concern for oll zvith uhom he dealt, his wt^relfish deaotion to his family, frienils, church, good causes, employes, customers and associotes. He was eoer a man of high moral principles, congenial disposition, faithful in the performonce of his duties and, capable of making a.ccurate onalyses of business conditions. He uas eaer true to a trust imposed in him, and firm in his moral and religiou.r conaictions; and

"Now, therefore, be it resolzted that this board erpress these sentiments to his zai.d,ou and. children, in order that they and, all with whom Harztey L. Miner uas so intintately associated, may knoza and realise the sentiments of the menfters of this board,."

WE'RE INDEPENDENT... AND WE IIKE IT THAT WAY!

No strings oltoched, no brond obligotions. We dqnce lo our cuslomers' tune only, becquse we believe in complele qnd obsolu'te independence lo recommen'd the right moteni.o'l for eoch specific io'b we service. Notur' olly, qfter 40 yeors of deoling wilh ihe yords ond fobricqtors of Southern Coliforniq, we've deve'loped top sup' pl,iers, good mill sources qnd o lot of friends qnd we're not forgetting qbout them. Bui il's our speciolized expenience, combined wilh our indepen'dent policy, thot poys off in double ossels on your cost sheets.

SERVICE (INDEPENDENI AND IMIAEDIAIE)

On the besl in plywood, Simpson board, Formico, fi{osonite, Brqnd Producls, Acousficql lile.