E!a newsang wews

by BOB McBRIEN executive vice president of the Lumber Merchqnls Associqtion

Northern Colifornio

f MA has come up with a real winner-its Top Management L Corrf"r"r,ce which was held late in September at Lake Tahoe' From all indications, this will become an annual affair for our association. ***

Upwards of 50 persons participated in the program which featured four speakers over a two-day period. Chet Nortz, mountain states executive officer flew in from Salt Lake City, Bernie Barber joined the group and Art Hood sat in on the sessionall in addition to the top management dealers from northern California.

Observing today's retail lumber dealer at a function such as this was most illurni' nating. There wasn't a man in the group who was willing to just sit back and listen. Every man not only left the conference with a well-filled notebook of ideas which he can put into practice, but he also went home with the ".r.*"r, to some of the questions which have been bothering himperhaps for manY months.

Each speaker told his audience to interrupt him at any time to ask a question related to the subject matter and boy, did the ques' tions ever flv back and forth.

"This type of meeting is one of the best I have ever participated in." one dealer told me, while still others said it gave them ideas which more than paid for *the time and expense of participating'

Each person attending the Top Management Conference was given a critique sheet on which he could record his opinion of the i"ndividual speakers, subject matter, location and meeting facilities, etc.

Comments were excellent, and I'd be pleased to share them with you the next time you are in the office. Just ask me, they are exleilent readittg uttd wiil quickly convince you that if you missed this conferenci, you won't:niss the next one!

As this column goes to press, LMA is engrossed in another most important educational ptogrum in eoop,eration with the California ani N"uada state higlway patrols. Meetings are being held in various cities throughout northern California in an effort to ac' quaint drivers and oiher yard personnel with highway regulations, defensive driving tactics, loading techniques and other matters'

One of the real benfits of membership in LMA is the increasing number of such meetings which are being brought to the individual dealer's area. ThesJmeetings are generally held after business hours to permit maximum attendance.

If you are not a member of LMA, drop me a note and I will be pl"us"d to call on you and give you dozens of more reasons why we think you should join with us and make our industry even more successful.