The Af -NAC

The board of directors of the Lumber Merchants Association held its quarterly meeting in San Francisco during the recent International Hoo-Hoo Convention. Plans were discussed to create a group fire-insurance program for the membership as well as a program to insure, as a group, "key" employes for any extended illness or accident. The directors heard an outline discussion from Douglas \\ratson, a partner in McKinsey and Co., a leading management consulting firm, in which he discussed the possibility of working with the association to create a practical program of "management tools" that could be used to solve many of the problems that face retail lumber and building material management today.

Cost accounting, inventory control, personnel, materials handling purchasing and financial management were mentioned as the areas lvhere dealers could benefit from up-to-date information and employing new management techniques.

A committee was appointid to meet next month to further explore the possibilities of such an association management program. The board also voted to add a prize to the American Lumberman contest prize of a free rouncltrip ticket to the. big NRLDA Exposition and Convention in Chicago for the best example of related selling in a retail lumber store. If the winner is an employee of a member of the Lumber Merchants Association he will be given a round-trip ticket to Chicago for his wife.

Directors attending the meeting were George Adams, Walnut Grove; Lloyd Bittenbender, Ukiah ; Tom Branson, Oakland; Francis Christiansen, Modesto; Henry Hulett, Corte Madera; Joe Kirk, Santa Maria; Hamilton Knott, Fresno; Les Ley, Santa Cruz; Arthur Post, Delano; Elmer Rau, Madera; Russ Stevens, Healdsburg; Dave Wight, San Carlos; Vince Wilson, Stockton, and Steve Yeager, Santa Rosa'

Lloyd Carter, formerly manager of the Sterling Lumber Company yard in Chico, has been promoted to the Oakland headquarters of the company, according to Fred Sayre, President'

NoCal Dealers Active in Remodeling

The Auburn Lumber Company, under the direction of Wendell Robie, has just completed a brilliant, new remodeled store at their Auburn location Just about complete is ihe nerv store and offices of the Hagle-DeCou Lumber Company in Atascadero. Owners Ralph Hagle and Jerry DeCou have set November 2 and 3 as the dates of the grand opening and open house Store Layout Specialist Ed Young of the Garehime Co., has been active in the design and planning of both these stores . . . Frank Heard of the Motrc,ni Lumber Company in Woodland has his plans and is ready to begin an extensive remodeling of the exterior and interior of that firm George Adams of the Noah Adams Lumber Company in Walnut Grove is collecting ideas and completing plans for a new store and yard for his Rio Vista location. *

The Lumber Merchants Association recently mailed many of its members dividend checks for the good experience they have earned in their Group Accident-Health and Life fnsurance Program. This insurance covers offthe-job accident or illness of association members, their employes and dependents, and the dividend equalled one month's premium for each yard participating. Soon to be announced is the dividend for the LMA's Group Workmen's Compensation program and, again, because of group action, good safety and low losses, the dividend rvill be in , excess of. 40/o returned ,? ,1" members.

Plans are now forming throughout the association's territory of Northern California for a series of one-day open discussion forums with Federal Housing Administration heads meeting rvfth the dealers to answer questions. discuss procedures and offer help and advice in any problems dealing with the FHA. One of the goals of these meetings will be to speed up processing time of FHA applications and for FHA and the dealers to find out lvhat each others' problems are and how they can be overcome. ***

Another series of meetings to be announced are set for December 3, 4 and 5 in Fresno, Sacramento and San Francisco. Key speaker of these meetings will be Gates Fer(Continued on Page 41)

Rockport Ts The Word For Redwood

That's what so many of our dealer friends have kindly told us. Certified Dry Redwood Bevel Siding and Finish are Rockport's specialties-the kind of lumber that pays off for everyone concerned with its production, sale and use.

Rounds Lurnber, Contpany is exclusiue distributor f or Rochport Reddood and sales agent f or other leadine Redwood, rnills. Round,s also represents producers of top quality Douglas Fir, White Fir, Ponderosa Pine and Sugar Pine. '