DATE Book

Llslrngs are often submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations wrlh sponsor before making plans to aftend.

Structural Insulated Panel Association -April 10-12, annual meeting & conference, Embassy Suites, San Antonio, Tx.; (253) 858-7 47 2.; www.sips.org.

National Wood Flooring Association - April 10-13, conference & wood flooring expo, Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, Orlando, Fl. ; (800) 422-4556; www.woodfl oors.org.

International Wood Gomposites Symposium - April 11-13, Red Lion, Seattle, Wa. ; (509) 335-2262; woodsymposiu m.wsu.edu.

Lumbermen's Association of Texas & Louisiana - April 12-14, annual convention, La Torretta Resort & Spa, Montgomery, Tx.; (800) 7a9-5862; www.lat.org.

Peak Auctioneering - April 14, LBM auctions, Prince William County Fairgrounds, Manassas, Va.; April 21, Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds, Berea, Oh.; (800) 245-9690; www.peakauction.com.

Northeast Retail Lumber Association - April '18, roundtable, Nantucket, Ma.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.

Kentucky Building Materials Association - April 18-20, convention & expo, Griffin Gate Maniott, Lexington, Ky.; (800) 844-1774; www.kbma.net.

Transload Distribution Association - April 23-25, conference, Doubletree, Memphis, Tn.; (503) 656-4282; www.transload.org.

Construction Suppliers Association - April 24, insight meeting, Savannah, Ga. ; (678) 674-1 860; www.gocsa.com.

National Kitchen & Bath Association - April 24-26, annual show, McCormick Place, Chicago, ll.; (800) 843-6522: www.nkba.org.

Northeast Young Lumber Execs - April 26, spring conference, Verona, N.Y.; (51 8) 286-1010; nrla.org.

North American Wholesale Lumber Association - April 26, regional meeting, Seaport Hotel, Boston, Ma.; (800) 527-8258; www.lumber.org.

Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association - April 26-27, annual convention, Seaport Hotel, Boston, Ma.; (207) 829-6901; www.nelma.org.

Hoo-Hoo International - April 26-29, annual convention, Sanctuary Resort, Bunbury, Australia; (800) 979-9950; www.hoo-hoo.org.

Peak Auctioneering - April 28, LBM auction, Marion County Fairgrounds, Indianapolis, In.; (800) 245-9690; peakauction.com.

National Assn. of Home Builders - April 29-May 1, green building conference, Nashville, Tn.; (800) 368-5242; www.nahb.org.

North American Wholesale Lumber Association - April 29-May 1, leadership conference, Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Co.; (800) 527-8258; www.lumber.org.

American Wood Protection Association - April 29-May 2, annual meeting, Hilton Downtown, Nashville, Tn.; (205) 733-4077: www.awpa.c0m.

Forest Products Society - May 1-3, conference, Little America Hotel, Flagstaff , Az. ; (608) 231 -1 361 ; www.forestprod.org.

National Hardware Show - May 1-3, Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nv.; (888) 425-9377; www.nationalhardwareshow.com.

North American Retail Hardware Association - May 1-3, convention, Bellagio Hotel, Las Vegas, Nv,; (800) 772-4424; www.nrha.org.

Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America - May 2-4, woodworking conference, Delray Beach Marriott, Delray Beach, Fl.; (323) 838-9443; www.wmma.org.

Mid-America Lumbermens Association - May 3-4, Missouri Swing-into-Spring, Lake of the Ozarks, Mo.; (800) 747-6529; www.themla.org.

Peak Auctioneering - May 5, LBM auction, Gibralter Trade Center North, Detroit, Mi. ; (800) 245-9690; www.peakauction.com.

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Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association - Uay S9, annual convention, Loews Miami Beach Hotel, Miami Beach, Fl. ; (847) 680-3500; www.mheda.org.

Hardwood Plywood & Veneer Association - May 6-8, conference, Westin Resort, Hilton Head, S.C.; (703)435-2900; hpva.org.

National Retail Federation - May 6-8, global supply chain summit, Hyatt Regency, Atlanta, Ga.; (800) 6734692; www.nrf.com.

American Coatings Show - May 7-10, lndiana Convention Center, lndianapolis, In.; (202) 462-6272: www.paint.org.

Construction Suppliers Association - May 9, insight meeting, Perry, Ga.; (678) 674-1 860; www.gocsa.com.

New Hampshire Retail Lumber Association - May 10, board meeting, Huttig Building Products, Hooksett, N.H.; (518) 2861010; www.nrla.org.

Northeastern Loggers Association -llay 11-12, equipment expo, Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction, Vt.; (800) 3187561 ; www.northernlogger.com.

Peak Auctioneering - May 12-13, LBM auction, Howard County Fairgrounds, Baltimore, Md.; (800) 245-9690; peakauction.com.

Eastern Building illaterial Dealers Association - May 15, MidAtlantic Trade Show, Valley Forge Convention Center, King of Prussia, Pa.; (800) 296-3278: www.ebmda.org.

Wallace Hardware - May 15-17, spring market, Gatlinburg Convention Center, Gatlinburg, Tn.; (800) 776-0976; www.wallacehardware.com.

Retail Lumber Dealers Association of Maine - May 17, board & area meeting, Portland, Me.; (51 8) 286-1 01 0; www.nrla.org.

Peak Auctioneering - May 19, LBM auction, Metrolina Tradeshow Expo, Charlotte, N.C. ; (800) 245-9690; www.peakauction.com.

Do it Best Corp, - May 19-21, spring market, Indiana Convention Center, lndianapolis, In.; (260) 748-5300; www.doitbestcorp.com.

Fulton, Mississippi www.homanindustries.com (662) 852-2125 Fax 662-862-4900

"What'S the best way to keep shoppers from straying?" is a question being asked in small towns across America. The owner of a hardware store in Uhrichsville, Oh.-population 5,500-believes one answer is an active merchant group that boosts local business.

"There's very little that you can't find in Uhrichsville," says Bob Baker, who started working at Twin City Hardware in 1914 and became owner in 2004. "Mako's (a supermarket and pharmacy) is our anchor and why Uhrichsville has such a nice downtown."

Baker says about 40 mom-and-pop businesses operate in the four-block downtown area. Outside of this area are another 30. Baker admits that the idea of starting a merchant's group has been discussed for years, but little came of it. Finally, he says, "I just got tired of talking; I want to try something."

With the help of a nearby copy store, he had flyers printed to advertise the first meeting of the merchant's group and then handed them out personally. "Better than a phone call or mailing," he believes. "Harder to ignore."

A few days later, about 16 business owners attended the meeting. Over coffee and cookies, they discussed ways to make residents more aware of what businesses in the city can offer. One concem is that "people have gotten so used to going north for shopping and entertainment that they instinctively do that," says Baker. "We want to draw people in and let them know what we have."

The group's first coordinated event will be a sidewalk sale the r''1i"..",'..'..,..,-i'i:r;'' first weekend of May. Future events could include a "Midnight Madness" sale, a scavenger hunt, a parade, and a tree-lighting ceremony in December-similar to the one organized by Baker last year, which attracted about 200 people.

"We had only talked about doing that for about a month in advance, but it turned out very well," he says. "When we do these events, we're promoting the city, not just the merchants."

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Quality Borate Co. [www.qualityborate.com].........................30

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