uta newsanawews

by BOB McBRIEN executive vice president of the Lumber Merchonls Associotion of 'Norlhern Colifornio

f)VER THE YEARS I have devoted more than the usual amount v of time attending conventions, meetings, seminars, conferences, clinics and the like, but never have I heard such glowing comments and compliments on a program as those being made on LMA's reeent Top Management Seminar. It astounds me!

Two years ago when we decided to conduct our first Top Management Seminar at the Tahoe Alumni Center we set as our goal the assembly of a program that would assist owners and managers of retail lumber yards in their daily efiorts to increase sales and profits. Our conc,ept was clear and simple-we wanted to bring information and new ideas to our dealers so they could put them to work for their profit potential.

This year we continued this theme. Owners and managers were treated to the "best educational program ever conducted by LMA." This appraisal is unanimous among those who participated at fuilomar near Pacific Grove.

Looking back on the Second Annual Top Management Conference and appraising the reasons for its great success (so we can use the same formula in. the future), I am convinced it was the pre-conference time and efiort devoted by the educational committee headed by Art Masters and Duane Bennett, plus the fine research and efiort put forth by our spe,akers.

Elsewhere in this issue of The MERCHANT you will find a comprehensive report on what our speakers had to say and how dealer-owners and managers received tl-reir comments and sug- gestions.

Hardly a day goes by that one dealer or another doesn't call into the office and comment that he wishes he had been at Asilomar. We, tooo regret that eaery dealer in northern California couldn't have been in attendance for there was much information (all free) to benefit from and thousands of dollars worth of efiort expended in behalf of the retail lumber dealer.

We are most appreciative of the fine programs conducted by our speakers . and we look forward to receiving your regsstration for the third annual when it comes aroun d in L967. Don't miss the boat again, if you weren't there, and if you need any incentive to attend, just ask the man who was there!

Be sure to watch for this column next month, I'll have a special announcement to make concerning money. Money that will go directly into our dealer's profit accounts. Non-members will be interested, too, for we will explain how they can cut their operating coets substantially in a critical area that can't be overlooked by any dealer.