Merchant Magazine - October 2008

building produets retailers and wholesale distributors in 13 Western states-Since 1922

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Do you rcolly need o now compuier sFtem?

Not so fostl Seventeen precoutions to toke before you invest in o techno overhoul

Vldeo ond web onfercncing: thefrilure of bucine$ meetlngt

Where ore 0llthe ceillfied hodnood prcdufi?

Hordwood producers ore reody to ploy cokh up with their softwood counterpofis ond get certified

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(Sistet publication Building Products Digest sP,ryes the East)

PUBIISHER Alan Oakes (ajoakes@aol.com)

PUBTISIIER EMERITUS David CutIer EI)|I(}R David Koenig (dkoenig@building-pr0ducts.com)

ASS0CIATE EDIToR Karen Debats (kdebats@building-pr0ducts.c0m)

C|}l{IRIBUTIXG EDITORS

Dwight Curran, James 0lsen, Carla Wddemat

AD SALES MAIIAGEfi Chuck Casey {ccasey@building-products.c0m)

CIRCUIATI0H HeatherKellv {hkelly@building:products,com)

ADMIIIISTRATIOII DIRECTOB/SE6RETARY Marie 0akes (mlpoakes@aol.com)

How fo Advertise

Conlact 0[r adrerlising 0lflc0s lff rates:

WEST, MIDWEST, SOUTHEASI: Chuck CaSEy, Newport Beach, Ca.; {949) 852-1990; Fax 949-8520231 ; Email ccasey@building-products.c0m

II0RTHEASI: Paul Mummolo (N.J,); (732) 8998102; Fax 732-899-2758; Email mummolop@ comcast.net

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ZVterc again, tlte customer is always right.

Feelings, nothing more than feelings!

As someone who is often told that I wear my heart on my sleeve, I think one of my failings as a manager is that I sometimes care too much. Whether it's over an ideal, a department, or a product, I occasionally lose sight of objectivity. I would argue, however, that often that same failing is a positive, in wanting to do the right thing and to make others think about the decisions they are making. Showing controlled passion isn't a bad thing.

There are both good and bad emotions that you can have in a business. But I would also agree that mismanaging bad feelings in the workplace can lead to less productivity and creativity and the loss of good employees. The sad fact is that as managers we often accept it and tolerate it because it is the easy way out. You do not want to be cruel and tell employees candidly that their performance is not up to par, or that they are disrupting the entire department, or that their daily break-

downs are simply unacceptable. But it is equally cruel not to tell them. Conversely, managers who act inappropriately must be told that their behavior is equally unacceptable-and there must be a way for employees to be able to discuss such matters without retribution.

Many will argue that feelings have no place in business, that everything is a black or white issue. Here's my favorite line. which makes me want to explode: "It's just business." When you care about the projects that people have been slaving over for months, and someone says kill it. or you care about the people who work for you, and you're told to eliminate them, when the day comes that feelings go out of the window, maybe that's the day I hang up my boots.

I have worked for some real jerks who were allowed to get away with behavior that depressed company performance, often over a long period. I

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have seen people become complete jerks over time when they have been given some power. Once considerate and concerned about others, they become focused on satisfying their own personal needs and less on others around them. They personally ignore the rules that they themselves have set up, as though they are above all that (cynical me-that also sounds like many politicians).

There is no doubt that feelings have to be managed. The employee who is always negative, or whom people have to tip-toe around every other day, has to be dealt with. Those types of feelings are not acceptable, as leaving over-emotional people unmanaged can lead to lower productivity and make the workplace very uncomfortable for everyone else. Managers who are always screaming at their staff and bullying them need to be shown the door. In any business, poor behavior only begets more bad behavior, and corporations today more than ever cannot allow a hostile working environment. Allowing such issues to fester leads to othcrs doing the same thing-"if they don't care, why should I" mentalities. gossiping. paranoia (what is management planning now?), and ultimately complacency sets in and it goes from bad to worse.

People are creatures of habit. Regardless of their own personality traits, people will start feeling and displaying the same traits as the people they live or work around -both positive and negative. Look at some of the behavior on reality shows when perfectly nice people are mixed with some not-so-nice people and soon learn to backstab the others around them. Peer pressure leads to behavior change and wanting to be seen as fitting in by mimicking what is going on around you.

Emotional mismanagement is when you tar everyone with the same brush. Along with the bad, there's almost always some good. Not everyone is guilty when things go wrong. We should all have feelings and we need to be sensitive to the feelings of others, because the killing of passion leads to indifference and lack of purpose. Nothing great happens without passion. Most people do not want to just show up every day; they want to find a reason to come to work motivated, with their dignity intact. The day you lose feelings as an employee or a manager is the time to quit and do something new.

ALAN OAKES publisher ajoakes @ aol .conr

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Ilo you really need a new computer system?

By Dick Friedman

ll /IAKING the critical decision about replacing a comlVlputer system has always been difficult because it involves subjective, intangible factors as well as dollars.

And now it can be more confusing because the decision should consider a new kind of "system": Application Service (AS), also known as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). With AS/SaaS, a distributor does not pay a large sum upfront for a license to use ERP business management software. Nor is it necessary to purchase a new, larger server. PCs are used, via the web, to access software and data on a computer residing at the company that provides the service. The distributor pays only for the resources used (e.g., the amount of processing done), which can be less expensive than owning a system.

Based on experience, here are the steps to take to make a non-emotional. unbiased, cost-effective decision.

l. Create a list of the reasons why replacement of the current system is being considered. Call them "goals." It may be possible to achieve these goals without getting a new system.

2. O"fin" the planned and expected growth and change at the company.

3. por the current system, identify where improvemenrs or changes in user job-functions and/or procedures/controls could achieve some goals listed in step l. Also determine if enhancements to the current system could achieve some goals.

4. Based on steps I and 2, define all the features that are desired in a new system. Then determine the availability of suitable new software and the availability of an AS.

5. Identify savings, benefits and efficiencies that only a new system or AS/SaaS would yield.

6. tdentiiy where improvements or changes in userjob-functions and/or procedures and controls could produce some benefits of a new system.

7. Pot the currenr sysremJ determine which enhancements would be needed to provide the same financial savines and intan-

gible benefits that a new system or AS/SaaS would provide.

8. po. each software enhancement identified in steps 3 and 7, estimate the direct cost, the value of internal time involved, and the resulting savings and benefits. Also estimate the level of risk of success.

9. tuag" whether the system environment is structurally suitable for all the enhancements being considered, whether the current system is user friendly and easy to use, and the adequacy of software support.

10. p"t".-ine if the current server could handle enhanced current software. If not, estimate costs for any hardware expansion or replacement hardware, taking step 2 into account.

I 1. po. each enhancement, do a cost-benefit analysis, and classify it as immediate, mid-term, or not worth doing.

12. n"t".*ine if the cuffent server could handle new software. If not, estimate costs for any hardware expansion or replacement hardware, taking step 2 into account.

13. eaO up the cost of all the enhancements classified as immediate or mid-term.

14. pstimate the true future cost of using the current system, as enhanced/ expanded, the savings and benefits from enhancements, and the net cost (savings).

15. po. a new ERP system, estimate the true cost, the savings and benefits it would produce, and the net cost (savings).

f 6. Repeat step I 5 for AS/SaaS.

17. Ur" steps 9, 15 and 16 to make the big decision-including whether to license software or use an AS/SaaS.

- Dick Friedman is a recognized expert on inJormation technology (lT) Jbr LBM distributors, with 30+ years o.f experience heLping distributors select a new system. Call (847) 2563260 fur a free consultation or visit www.genbuscon.com.

Video and mBrencingThe future gf"Feetings

DISING gas prices, airline cutl\backs, canceled and delayed flights, skyrocketing travel costs... these are just a few of the challenges facing businesses today. As a result, more and more companies are looking for ways to eliminate or at least greatly reduce travel expenses, and they're re-examining how they'll conduct meetings in the future.

Trying to lower meeting expenses is not a new concept. After 9/ll, the airlines temporarily shut down. When the airports reopened, many people were afraid to fly. In response, companies rushed to try virtual meetings in an attempt to save time and money. But the tools available had limitations. On a personal PC, video conferencing was slow due to low bandwidth speeds that made the video fuzzy. High-quality systems were confined to a few video conferencing rooms, which were always booked. Web conferencing, using a combination of audio, text messaging, and PowerPoint, was useful, but limited.

Additionally, people tended to overreact and do all meetings virtually. Since no one had "meeting guidelines" in place, companies learned some hard lessons-that there are times when you actually need to see someone face to face. there are times when an audio conference will do, and there are times when an email is perfectly fine.

With greatly diminished meeting outcomes due to the lack of guidelines, video conferencing and web conferencing went back to playing a minor role as companies reverted to

traveling for their meeting needs. Fortunately, people didn't completely abandon e-conferencing. Companies use video and web conferencing today more than ever before because they discovered the technology. Now it's time for companies to step it up a notch and use the new meeting technology to not only save costs, but also to build relationships.

The Future of Relationships

The challenge today is that many companies are going into crisis mode. Because air travel and gas costs are high, they're using video and web conferencing, as well as the new highend video conferencing called telepresence offered by Cisco and HP, to save travel money. However, if their only motivation is to save money on travel, rather than the more important goal of enhancing communication and collaboration throughout the enterprise, then they're simply creating another fad. Video conferencing has evolved tremendously over the past few years, and companies need to use the technology of today to pave the path to future profits, all of which hinge on relationships.

To add fuel to the fire is the fact that rising gas prices and travel costs are not cyclical this time-they're permanent. Major social changes are taking place worldwide in such places as China and India. and the increased global energy consumption affects everyone. In other words, fuel costs will fluctuate but will not go back to the low levels we once enjoyed.

Therefore, smart companies are

changing how they think about meetings and the new conferencing technology, and they're realizing that it offers business something more powerful than they've had in the past. Companies are thinking in terms of "visual communications" rather than simply video and web conferencing.

Visual communications heighten the bond you have with someone when you cannot see them face to face. It's about adding dimension to the communication. There's a reason why you shake someone's hand when you meet them: the more senses you involve. the higher the connection. Those companies that can enhance their communication, both internally and externally, are the ones who can cause change faster and stay competitive longer.

How to ilake Visual Communications Work

Before you mandate that video conferencing be the only way of conducing meetings, consider the following principles of visual communications.

First, realize that the need to meet, establish relationships, and share information, knowledge, and wisdom is not going away. No amount of hightech gadgetry is going to change that in a fundamental way. That's why face-to-face meetings are still the dominant form of meeting and extremely relevant, because there is no better way to build trust. In our increasingly global marketplace, trust is the glue that creates strong, successful, and enduring business relationships. Those who believe video con-

ferencing will end face-to-face meetings are using "either/or" thinking, which often occurs when dazzling new technologies first appear. They view the new thing as destined to totally supplant the old thing, except that rarely happens.

Companies that make visual communications work will have the new and the old coexisting by allowing each to do what it does best. Video conferencing is a superb tool for saving travel time and expense, focusing on a structured agenda, obtaining senior-level points of view in realtime, building consensus, and making announcements. It's not so good at smoothing out contentious give-andtake or handling emotional or sensitive issues. Fortunately, both virtual meetings and face-to-face meetings are readily available. It's not either/or anymore. "Both/and" thinking is the new paradigm.

In the past, video conferencing required a big room with expensive equipment. That's not the only option for video anymore. Many new computers come with a builrin video camera. That means you can do video conferencing on a personal laptop from your desk, your home, or anywhere in the world. The software is free and comes with your system. With some computers, you can have multiple people on at the same time and video conference with them all at once.

Let the lleetinds Goal Determine Tectrnologf s Role

The future of business includes an interdependent world that generates increasing quantities of data, information, knowledge and wisdom that companies need to communicate. The key is to develop guidelines for determining what type of meeting to have. To do this, you must look at the meeting's goal.

One of the traps people fall into when planning a meeting is looking at business goals instead of human/emotional goals. Therefore, before you plan any meeting, ask yourself, "What is this meeting's goal? Is it to inform, motivate, inspire, persuade, influence, sell, gain trust, negotiate, gain respect, establish new relationships, strengthen existing relationships, share information, share knowledge and experiences, gain credibility, change how people think, solve a problem, determine a strategy, or simply create dialog?" Thinking abour the goal in this way makes it easier to decide what

type of meeting will be best and what technology is most appropriate.

Once you know your meeting's goal, use the following guidelines.

If the goal is primarily to inform by sharing data and information, then a meeting may not even be necessary. It might be far better to use email, groupware, a wiki, a blog, or an Intranet or Extranet and let people collect and absorb the information at their own rate and in their own time.

If you determine that sharing the information at the same time with eyeryone would be best, then consider audio conferencing and/or web-conferencing as an alternative to a faceto-face meeting.

If the information delivery will primarily be one-way, then an e-conference would serve the purpose. If, however, informing involves hands-on demonstrations and/or high levels of interactivity, then a face-to-face meeting is definitely in order.

If the goal is to influence, build on existing relationships, share knowledge and experiences, gain credibility, solve a problem, or determine a strategy, then a face-toface meeting is best, but it is no longer the only option. Technologies such as high-end videoconferencing telepresence systems and satellite-broadcast services that use full-motion video could help you accomplish your goals.

If all participants have access to broadband connections, and almost all today do, then web conferencing offers another increasingly attractive option. Audio conferencing could also be a viable option, depending on the number of people attending and the amount of interactivity required during the meeting.

If the goal is to gain trust and/or respect, or to inspire, motivate, persuade, establish relationships, negotiate, or change how peopte think, then a face-to-face meeting is a must. If this is not possible, then the nexr best thing would be telepresence video conferencing rooms, which typically have three huge curved screens and a fourth screen above for shared work. custom lighting and acoustics, and life-size images.

Despite the current conditions of gas prices, transportation costs, and airline cuts, the need to meet, share knowledge, and develop relationships will continue. Therefore, successful meetings will depend on your ability to master the concept of visual communications and develop guidelines that leverage both old and new tools to build trusting relationships that foster greater communication, collaboration, and community.

- Daniel Burrus is founder and c.e.o. of Burrus Research and author of six books, including Technotrends. He can be re ac he d v i a www.burrus.c om.

INTERACTIVE video conferences can be carried over telephone lines and viewed on comouter monitors at vour office.

Where are all the certi fied hardwood products?

NHLA. "It disadvantages the family forest owner who's not going to incur the expense for certification."

Since hardwoods take so long to mature, said Goetz, "they'll have a have a timber sale once in a generation, maybe twice. Are they going to certify just so they can sell their wood products that one time? Do You think they're going to stay certified? So certification is not the be all and end all for good forest practices in the U.S., given our land ownership patterns."

nESPITE the burgeoning green I-lbuildins movement and the growing deriand for certified wood products, only a small percentage of U.S. hardwoods come from certified forests-a dilemma that domestic producers are determined to change.

"We run the risk, if we don't Produce a certified product, of being closed out of certain markets that absolutely require it," said Mark Barford, executive director of the National Hardwood Lumber Association, Memphis, Tn.

To date, fewer than 2Vo of U.S. forest owners-mostly large landowners and international corpora-

tions-have secured certification from the Forest Stewardship Council or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. Both groups were founded in the 1990s to develop and enforce principles, criteria, and standards for sustainable forestry.

In contrast, many Private forest landowners in the U.S.-who own more than two-thirds of domestic timberlands-can't afford all the documentation required for FSC or SFI certification. "Certification clearly favors large landowners," said Alberto Goetzl, president of Seneca Creek Associates, a natural resources consultine firm that works with

Lee Laechet, executive v.P. of the Alabama Forest Owners Association, agrees. "Our system is a pretty darn good system, where we let PeoPle own things and try to take care of them," he said. "We ought to defend that, rather than move to a system that says 'prove that you're doing it' properly."

However, both FSC and SFI are actively courting smaller landowners. FSC urges small foresters to lower costs by getting certified in groups, a tactic that has been successful in Switzerland. SFI encourages sawmill operators to pay the costs of SFI training for loggers who sell to them.

"SFI has to work on those uncertified lands to raise the bar of forestry," said Kathy Abusow, the group's president and c.e.o. She said that companies that want to distribute certified product "don't have the luxury of saying 'no' to the other 907o percent of forests that are uncertified."

A third certification group-the American Tree Farm System-was founded in 1941 to address concerns that America's forests were being cut at unsustainable rates without reforestation. Sponsored by the American Forest Foundation, the group now represents more than 90,000 family forest owners in 45 states-many of whom manage less than 100 acres.

"The number of certified family forest landowners in the system has doubled over the past four years," said Bob Simpson, senior v.p. of the American Forest Foundation. "This shows the tremendous growth potential in this area."

In order to reach international markets, ATFS recently become affiliated with the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification-the same group that endorses SFI. Founded in 1999, PEFC is an independent international non-profit that promotes sustainably managed forests through independent thirdparty certification.

"The demand for sustainably procured wood is rapidly increasing because more businesses and more consumers are stepping up to the plate on issues like climate change," said the secretary-general of PEFC, Ben Gunneberg. "PEFC endorsement means that more American growers can now serve this rapidly growing market,"

Laurence Wiseman, president and c.e.o. of the American Forest Foundation, agrees. "PEFC approval is the key to connecting more of the good operators to the rapidly growing marketplace of green manufacturers, distributors, retailers and consumers," he said. "This is fantastic news for conservation-minded family forest owners who are struggling to survive in tough economic times."

Helping family landowners succeed also helps ensure the future supply of domestic hardwoods. Every year in the U.S., I .5 million acres of family forestland is sold for development.

"We are losing ground to developers," said Mike Brinson, a professional forester for Pike Lumber, Akron, In. "Urban sprawl and forest fragmentation are taking land out of production and making the management of forests more difficult."

Making family forestlands profitable could also keep succeeding generations in the business. "This generation is not as tied to the land as

the one before," said Liz Jackson, who heads the Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association. "They view land ownership and woods differently than their parents."

Bob and Jean Cooper are working to reverse this trend, and champion the benefits of sustainable forestry. The couple bought their North Carolina tree farm in 1914, and their two sons are now co-owners of the successful enterprise. Several grandsons are also active in the business. which sells timber to companies such as Weyerhaeuser.

Last year, the Coopers were honored as the North Carolina Tree Farmers of the Year. This year, they were named Southern Resional Tree

Farmers of the Year and are one of four regional finalists for the national title. The winner will be announced this month at the National Tree Farmer Convention in Portland. Or.

Joe Pierce. who won the national title last year, is another proponent of family forest ownership. A sixth-generation owner of family forestland in Cumberland County, Me., he spends much of his time teaching other landowners about sustainable forest management.

Pierce's grandmother signed up with ATFS in the 1960s. Even earlier. his great grandfather dispensed this advice: "Take care of the land first, and it will take care of you."

Hardwood group turns over a new leaf

National Hardwood Lumber Association has launched a rebranding effort, to realign itself with changes in the industry and the needs of its members.

A new logo, with the tagline "Strong Roots, Global Reach," describes NHLA's refocus-mainrnining its position as keeper of the hardwood industry's rules, while increasing its presence in the media, as well as economic and regulatory affairs.

The association has undergone several personnel changes over the last year, creating a communications team with backgrounds in public relations, marketing, advertising, graphic design, political campaigns, and lobbying. "We will target the media, the consumer, the industry, and the decision makers," executive director Mark Barford said. "We will tell our story and not let others define who we are."

NHLA will take a proactive role

in engaging the media, to help shape the future of the industry in areas such as certification, consumer choice, and global trade.

NHLA's education program will add new eduation courses designed to give members what they and their employees need at all levels of their career-from enbry to executive level. The group will also continue to increase its involvement with the Hardwood Federation and the American Hardwood Export Council.

NHLA will also work to build coalitions with groups outside the industry that share common tactical goals, even if they are not necessarily seen as friendly to the industry overall.

"We must consistently explore and act on the important issues, including sustainability, globalization, land use, international grades, and public awareness," said Barford.

STRONG ROOTS. GTOBAL REACH.

Hardwoods flood the bath

THE traditional notion that wood and water don't mix is I getting a second thought with the emerging trend of using hardwood millwork in bathrooms, such as for trim, tub surrounds, and even flooring, according to the American Hardwood Information Center.

For one thing, hardwoods exude luxury. "These days, everyone is looking back into the home for comfort," says Christopher Cole, president of bath furnishings firm Cole & Co, Dallas, Tx. "People want more luxury and pampering. especially in the bathroom."

Ginny Burns, an interior designer in Parkton, Md., agrees: "There are so many hard surfaces in a bathroom. Wood softens the feel and adds natural warmth."

Bath vanities, linen chests, cabinets, and corner hutches are available in various hardwoods, and can be further upgraded by adding moulding, toe kicks, and "feet."

Moulding also adds drama and style to walls and ceilings. Burns uses hardwood chair rails, bead board, paneling and crown moulding to tie in with wood fumiture and cabinets. In one project, a window seat and bead-board walls enhanced the Victorian feel of a larse townhouse.

"The bathroom is getting more important, and it deserves the detailing that other rooms in your house have," she says.

Burns especially enjoys adding drama to a powder room. "It's fun to do something special in that room," she says. "You can go a little wild with bold wall paper or paint because people don't stay in there long."

Whirlpool baths have become staples of today's master suites, and their large size naturally makes them the room's focal point, Burns says. "I try to make the tub the first thing you see. The tub is really what the bathroom is all about. It's all about relaxation, crawling away from the cares and woes and stress of the world."

A hardwood surround helps soften the look of a tub and pull together other wood accents and fumiture in the room, says Marcella DeShong, owner of Midwest Luxury Baths, Pendleton, In. "You can paint or stain the surround to complement other areas of the room," she says.

A beadboard surround adds a casual country, cottage or Victorian feel, she says. Raised paneling is more formal, while smooth wood can look more contemporary. Surrounds are assembled on site, sometimes with kits sold by bath manufacturers.

Bathrooms once were considered out-of-bounds for solid hardwood flooring. Today's polyurethane finishes have changed that. These finishes offer water resistance that old-fashioned versions never could. Blends of synthetics, resins, plasticizers and other film-forming ingredients bond to form a water-tight seal, yet do not peel when wood expands and contracts.

Oak, maple, cherry, ash, walnut and hickory are favored for use in the bathroom because they are especially stable and strong.

"I like hardwood because it's a classic," says Karen Lewis, a bath designel with Hancock Kitchens, Portland, Me. "It's not going to date itself. It's resilient. And unlike tile and marble, it's not cold under your feet."

LUXURIOUS oak bath is as functional as it is beautiful, featuring etched glass doors, tall linen cabinet, pulled-out sink base cabinet {lanked by fluted columns, vanity mirror area with spice drawers lor small item storage, and chest next to the soak tub that features a custom wood too and furniture leel accenls.

Homeowners should remember, though, that even with the new finishes, a hardwood floor may be an inappropriate choice for a bathroom with high humidity. If they do install a wood floor, they should use area rugs and remember to immediately wipe up any water.

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etitive ligence Safety firsts

By Carla Waldemar

fT TAKES a village. as you've lheard. to raise a child. lt also takes that same kind of commitment from the entire population of your employees to earn a safety award.

Sanford & Hawley, Inc., a fouryard operation spanning Connecticut and Massachusetts, has achieved just that. They've won a coveted SHARP award from OSHA for each of its four locations, one year at a time. SHARP is the Safety and Health Recognition Program award presented by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Division-OSHAfor a voluntary program that recognizes exceptional safety-management systems.

And that achievement is "huge," says Ted Sanford, v.p. of operations, a pivotal member of the fourth generation to carry on the family business launched in 1884, along with brothers Bob, president, heading administrative functions, and Frank, overseeing pur-

chasing and sales. All three boys have worked in the yard every minute they could spare from schoolbooks since they were eight, Ted says.

"There are just l2 business places in all of Connecticut that have achieved the SHARP award." he notes. "and three of them are ours: Unionville in 2005, Avon in 2008, and just recently, Manchester." (The West Springfield, Ma., yard made the cut in 2006.)

Wait a minute, Ted: it's voluntary, right? So, why put yourself through the paces? What prompted you to actually pick up the phone and call OSHA-an organization viewed by many in this industry as second only to Al Qaida in the threat it posesinviting them to snoop around for every little thing that's out of line, and then promise, in advance, to fix these unknown faults? Talk about martyrs for the cause.

To explain S&H's commitment to

achieving and maintaining a state-ofthe-art safety regime, Ted takes us back to 1988. That year, in an accident in the millwork shop, a man was caught by a saw. "He recovered fully, but it set off an alarm in our minds." says Ted. "We saw that our safety moderating wasn't so great and was costing us money, too. So we decided to do something about it. We created a safety-awareness program, with the help of our insurance company, to educate and improve things. We launched a safety committee with reps from each location and my brother, Bob, from management, which helps us pay constant attention. They meet quarterly to discuss issues and make recommendations, often based on ideas brought to them by the workforce, such as: equipping trucks with Teledyne lifts; fixing potholes in the yards; posting speed limit signs to alert vendors and customers; adding strobe lights to forklifts; and forming a material-banding policy that calls for safety glasses and gloves."

Yes, that was 20 years ago, and yes, it took a while to get people behind it-to see the value of the thrust and work at it. The key to its success, Ted believes, "is the 1007o commitment by management to provide a safe working environment, and the constant reminders of its importance. We weren't going to forget about it. People finally saw the need, and the [ensuing] safety awards got their attention"

To reinforce the message, S&H created a Safety Incentive Program, with group awards in cash going to

EARLIER this year, Sanford & Hawley's Avon, Cl., branch received OSHA's SHARP safety award. Now all four of S&H's yards have earned the honor. (t+) OSHA's Richard Palo, S&H safefy committee chairman Ron Stavens, yard foreman Bilbby Huflman, branch manageiPat McGee, Avon town manaqer Phil Schenk, co-owner Bob Sanford, assistant Vard foreman Brian Royer, co-owners Frank Sanford, Ted Sanford, OSHA's Ken Tucker, and S&H hJman resources/safety department's John Dubrowin.

teams that meet goals, as well as individual monetary bonuses for those who sustain no injuries, along with clothing items with "Safety Award Winner" splashed across them to serve as walking role models and reminders. Last year, the company awarded $4,500 in safety bonuses. Speaking of awards, S&H also was recognized in 2007 by National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association as a National Industry Leader in Safety.

But, OSHA? Why ask for trouble? "We'd been looking at the voluntary inspection program for a while, and in 2000 finally made the commitment," says Ted. "We called the Connecticut inspector and started with the Unionville yard. It was a good experience altogether," he indicates, "but they did find a lot if issues-things like extension cords, which can't be used in place of permanent wiring, and exposed light bulbs with no covers, especially of concern in our old building from the mid-1800s with low ceilings-lots of electricat, things like that. Also, we needed to add guard rails and signage and machine shutoffs if the power goes out: nothing huge but a lot of small, little items, so it took a good deal of money to correct them Plus, we had no written policies, which OSHA requires. We didn't know we had to have one till they came out."

To achieve the written policies part, Ted and Bob created the company's first safety manual with sample OSHA documents to guide them, a 250-page book that covers everything from fire extinguishers to drills. Now every new employee receives a copy and must partake in a four-hour safety orientation before he starts. Annual refresher sessions are held for the entire staff.

Improvements took time and money, of course, but that didn't stand in the way of moving forward. After Unionville got up to speed and received SHARP recognition, the boys decided that the Avon facility was next in line. "It gets easier all the the time," Ted testifies. "You learn from the other yards' inspection and make changes before OSHA comes around."

Great to be a bleeding-heart employer and save bleeding on the job, or worse: But what about the bottom line? Can you afford to move in this direction?

Turns out, that's the sweet spot: "We've made great insurance savings from 1988 to now," Ted states. "In 1988, we were about to go into an

insurance pool; now, we've improved moderating by 6o0/o, making for a great financial savings in our insurance premiums. Also, it's reduced costs arising from investigating accidents, medical care, and days lost on the job. People out on workmen's comp have been cut drastically. (We also instituted a light-duty program that, if they're injured, brings them back into the office, perhaps, rather than not be back at work.) We've minimized f-luctuations in capacity due to workers out with injuries."

As a bonus, morale among the staff of 68 is on the upswing, which pays off in lower turnover and adds to S&H's ability to hire prime applicants, who, says Ted, "will be a good, longterm fit and less likely to get injured."

Another positive turn: The company's focus on safety also has helped drive business among its contractor customers. S&H has launched a series of educational programs to which customers also are invited. such as a forklift safety program led by OSHA.

"We weren't sure what the response would be," Ted allows, "but over 20 customers attended. so we were very happy.We've since held a safe driving seminar put on by our insurance company and will continue with more. Also, our HR person

spends a lot of time on safety and is a member of the Home Builders Association's safety committee. All this gains us the respect of our customers, and we promote ourselves as a resource for them to come to with safety concerns."

Still... in bed with the devil? Not according to Ted's thinking about OSHA. "Don't be afraid of the voluntary inspection program," he instructs. "They're not the big, bad guys of the f'ederal OSHA." To other dealers he urges, go for it: "They're interested in helping businesses be safe; they're on your side and want to help. The inspectors are great people who want to see that we succeed.

"They give a list of violations, which you have a specific period of time to correct; then they sign off. We in turn make the commitment that we'll fulfill them. That first year, that list was quite long, but it got shorter and shorter on our other locations as we learned along the way."

The moral here is the vintage one your mother taught you: Better safe than sorry. The silver lining is. it pays off nicely

- A former award-winning LBM trade magazine editor, Carla Waldemar writes Jrequently on the industy. Contact her at c wal demar@ c'qmcast.net.

SAFETY is stressed by dealer, who views OSHA not as an opponent, but as a partner.

The mentality of master sellers

By James Olsen

ATTITUDE is everything. When I lA.was younger. I thought it was a bunch of bunkum. But the older I get, the more I believe it.

When I heard people talk about attitude, I always thought, "It's the doing that matters. Attitude won't save me if I don't do something." If you are thinking this, I agree with your thinking, but I disagree with your (and mine own old) conclusions.

If we go to a poker game where the "buy-in" is $10900, we will have to have to have the $10,000 before we can sit at the table. To successful people, the "doing" is the buy-in money to success. Of course, we have to work hard, they say, blut working hard is only the beginning. I took taekwan-do for four years. The master used to tell us, "Many think that earning their black belt is the end. Eaming your black belt only means that you are ready to begin to leam."

Hard work is the same. It is the buy-in money to success. Hard work is the black belt-only the beginning. But hard work-activity-without a good attitude won't work in sales any more than it will at the poker table or the golf course. Attitude is what will carry us to the next level. Our attitude is what will carry us through the rough spots when hard work by itself will not be enough.

If hard work is a given, what are the attitudes?

1007o responsibility. Winners take l00%o responsibility for what happens. They understand that there are things they can't control, but they have a positive denial about those things. Losers look for someone or something to blame for their poor performance. Losers blame their company's shortcomings for their

lack of success. Winners understand that every company has warts; but as great sellers, we work around our company's weak points. All companies have problems, and wherever I work I see struggling sellers talking about them and I see successful sellers working right through them.

Winners divide the work into the goal. "Don't tell me how much you're going to make, tell me how hard you are going to work." What is our goal? What is our closing percentage?

Given our goal and our closing percentage, how many calls do we need to make to reach our goal? These are the questions of the master seller.

It's not about price. I ask classes I work with, "How important is price?" Invariably, they tell me it is very important. I then ask them how important price is with their top three customers. I then ask them if they have ever been the low price and not gotten the order. Their answers prove that price is not important.

Trust is more important than price. So let's start selling trust. If a customer does not trust us, it does not matter how low our price is. If price were as important as some sellers would have us (and themselves) believe, the cheapest sellers would make the most money. The opposite is truer in reality.

It's not about the accounts. "If I had that guy's accounts, I'd be a millionaire." "I can't wait 'til my account base is set, then I'll make a bunch of money." "Sure he's doing well. They give him all the good accounts." These and similar statements are misguided. I've seen sellers who are given good accounts and run them into the ground or blow them up completely.

I ask sellers to look at the big hitters in their companies. "If we took away every account this seller has, how long would it take them (the big hitter) to climb back to the top of the mountain?" This usually produces a lot of knowing looks and the class will tell me, "Not very long." This leads us to master seller mental attitude number five.

It about how we do it. It's not about the economy, the boss's favorite, luck, prices or any other deficiency our boss or our company has. It's about us and how we approach and sell our customers.

To be successful in sales in a competitive market, we will have to work hard, but working on the master seller attitudes in conjunction with hard work will make us unstoppable.

- James Olsen, Reality Sales Training, specializes in sales taining for the lumber industry. Reach him at james@realitysalestraining.com or ( 503 ) 544-3 572.

Think Spring and Screws..r

Start Your Friihlingsgefiihle in November.

R:rllrrns

Standard Builders Supply, Salt Lake City, Ut., has sold its inventorv. name and customer list to 24tnit Sunroc, St. George, Ut., which will move inventory and staff to its own 9-month-old yard in Salt Lake; Standard owners Mike Hansen and Jim Ridd will retain their properties in Salt Lake and Spanish Fork to lease for non-LBM uses

OK Lumber Co., Fairbanks, Ak., may be forced to auction off its inventory this month, after its largest creditor convinced the court to switch its bankruptcy from Chapter 11 reorganization to Chapter 7 liquidation (see Sept., p. 42) ,..

The Hardware Store, Coeur d'Alene, Id., is being opened this month by Kevin Triphahn, outside salesman for Braided Accents and Mountain Moulding & Millwork, Rathdrum, Id., and Clint Bower, owner of the two companies ...

Wickenburg Builders Supply, Wickenburg, Az., has been opened by Larry and Janet Davis

Orchard Supply Hardware received planning board approval to build a new store in Alameda, Ca....

Walnut Creek Hardware Co. is opening a new Ace Hardware store next month in Walnut Creek. Ca.; Kevin Fisher. co-owner

General Hardware. Denver, Co., is closing next month after 98 years, due to big-box competition and the economic downturn; the property has been listed for sale at $3.25 million ...

84 Lumber Co. has received FSC chain-of-custody certification for 10 more of its stores, including Redmond, Or.; Modesto, Ca., and West Jordan, lJt., bringing 84's total number of certified locations to 36

Lowe's Cos. opened new stores Oct. 14 in Lacamas Lake. Wa., and Sept.27 in Rio Rancho, N.M., and will open by year's end in San Bernardino, Ca. ...

Lowe's anticipates a lst quarter 2009 opening in NE Anchorage, Ak.; won approval for a 138000sq. ft. store in Rocklin, Ca., and is considering a 1Z-acre site in Albany, Or., for a 125,601-sq. ft. store with 31,544-sq. ft. garden center

Home Depot opened a new store Sept. 11 in Prescott Valley, Az. (Ron Straka, store mgr.)

Home Depot agreed to lease a 658O00-sq. ft. distribution center in Redlands, Ca., and is building new stores in Ontario and Auburn, Ca....

Ace Hardware will hold a grand opening Oct.l7 for its new store in Puyallup, Wa. ...

Habitat for Humanity held a grand opening Sept. 8 for its new ReStore discount LBM outlet in Billings, Mt.

Close Lumber, Marysville, Ca., was burglarized Aug. 29 by two men who stole more than $7000 in cash and merchandise, including $2,700 worth of knives ..

Wrorrsnrns/trrurlcrunns

Matheus Lumber, Woodinville, Wa., has acquired the assets of Standard Brother Lumber. Hauser. Id., including its sales office and distribution yard ...

Neiman Reed Lumber Co. recently completed its final phase of a 5-year construction project to add 13 storage buildings to its 5acre site in Panorama City, Ca.

North Pacific has relocated its Ontario. Ca.. sales office to Mira Loma, Ca., to be closer to its So. Ca. distribution center

Jeld-Wen Inc., Klamath Falls, Or., closed its vinyl window and door plant in Stockton, Ca., Oct. 6, resulting in 126layoffs ...

Point Five Windows Inc.,Fort Collins, Co., has been acquired by Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork Co..

Mason County Forest Products has idled its large-log sawmill in Shelton. Wa.. and transferred the crew to its small-log mill in Shelton as a second shift ...

West Fraser, Vancouver, 8.C., has agreed to buy Stuart Lake Lumber, Fort St. James,8.C., eyeing its long-term timber rights; the company has no immediate plans to restart Stuart Lake's mill, which has been idle since 2047 ...

Silvaris Corp., Bellevue, Wa., has expanded its OSBMarket online service for buying downfall OSB into the Northeast U.S., eastern Canada, and Nova Scotia

Tiger Claw entered into a multiyear deal with Trex to manufacture its proprietary Trex Hideaway hidden deck fastener system ...

Building Material Distributors Inc., Galt, Ca., has earned Forest S t ewardship C ounc il chain-of-custody certification fuom Rainforest Alliance's SmartWood program

Eagle Roofing Products, Rialto, Ca., has earned the highest hail resistance certification from Architectural Testing

Anniversaries:. Parr Cabinet Outlets, Hillsboro, Or., 5th

Housing starts in August fell 6.2%o to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 895,000-the lowest level in 17 years ... starts in the West jumped 10.87o, while all other regions decreased.

Send us your news!

Have your recent expansion, promotions or other company changes published in the next issue of The Merchant Magazine. Just Fax your news to 949852-0231 or send by email to kdebats @ building-products.com.

(a lree seruice)

Sustainable choir

Attention Dealers

Pre-fa bricate sta i r systems using SteadiTred stair treads and Durastrand Rimboard as stringers-create a new revenue stream in installed sales, with no additional inventory.

Durastrand" Rimboard and SteadiTred" from Ainsworth

Builders and dealers are finding that smart, sustainable building practices deliver real bottom-line benefits. Multipurpose products like 0.8E Durastrand OSL Rimboard are manufactured from renewable resources-and in the sizes you need-so you can save time and labor, reduce waste and disposal fees, and minimize inventory.

Multipurpose strength

L-y4" O.8E Durastrand 05[ Rimboard

> as rim board, short-span headers and stair stringers

> ICC-ES code evaluated for flexural applications (ESR-l053)

> better utilization means less iobsite waste

For strong, consistent stair treads versus particleboard & solid sawn greater span capability (up to 45 in) always flat and straight: save on defects and call-backs

APA exposure r rated: eliminate the waste and cost of temporary stairs bull-nosed or square-edged primarily made of aspen, a fastgrowing, renewa ble species

Listings are often submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with sponsor before making plans to attend.

Ocrorrn

Remodeling & Decorating Show - Oct. 10-12, Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, Ca.; (818) 557-2950.

Do It Best Corp. - Oct. 11-14, fall market, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, In.; (260) 748-5300.

TREATERS YVITH

TAKING CARE

Association of Millwork Distributors - Oct. 11-16, annual convention, Gaylord Palms, Kissimmee, Fl.; (727) 372-3665.

Western Building Material Association - Oct. 14-15, estimating workshops, Olympia, Wa.; (360) 943-3054.

True Value Co. - Oct. 17-20, fall market, Atlanta, Ga.; (773) 695-5000.

Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association - Oct. 22, operations management seminar; Oct.23, outside sales seminar, Grand Junction, Co.; (303) 292-9500.

Green Industry & Equipment Expo -Oct.23-25, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, Ky.; (800) 558-8767.

Willamette Valley Hoo-Hoo Club - Oct.24, bingo night, Shadow Hills Country Club, Junction City, Or.; (541) 4855979.

Remodeling & Decorating Show - Oct.24-26, Orange County Fairgrounds, Costa Mesa, Ca.; (8 1 8) 55'7 -2950

Black Bart Hoo-Hoo Club - Oct.25, Texas Hold 'em, Sonoma County Airport, Windsor, Ca; (707) 462-3700.

Western Wood Preservers Institute - Oct.26-29, annual meeting, Fess Parker Doubletree, Santa Barbara, Ca.; (800) 7299663.

Lumber Association of California & Nevada - Oct. 29. LBM testing seminar, Ramada Inn Burbank Airport, Burbank, Ca.; (800\ 266-4344.

llov:mrrn

Lumber Association of California & Nevada - Nov. 6-7, annual convention, Marriott Napa Valley Hotel & Spa, Napa, Ca.; (800\ 266-4344.

North American Wholesale Lumber Association - Nov.6-8, Traders Market, Hyatt Regency, Chicago, Il.; (800) 527-8258.

Door & flardware Institute - Nov.8-15. annual conference & expo, Boston, Ma.; (703) 222-2010.

Specialty Tools & Fasteners Distributors Association - Nov.911, annual convention & show, Colorado Convention Center, Denver, Co.; (800) 352-2981.

Black Bart Hoo-Hoo Club - Nov. 12, initiation, Ukiah Garden Caf6, Ukiah, Ca.; ('107) 462-3700.

North American Building Material Distribution AssociationNov. 12-13, annual convention & tabletop show, Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, National Harbor, Md.; (888)747-7862.

Los Angeles Harwood Lumberman's CIub - Nov. 12-14, hardwood lumber grading course, Ganahl Lumber, Anaheim, Ca.; (7 rq-671-3079.

Western Building Material Association - Nov. 12-14, annual convention, Red Lion on 5th Avenue, Seattle, Wa.; (360) 9433054.

JLC Live Show - Nov. 12-15, Washington State Convention & Trade Center, Seattle, Wa.; (800) 261-7769.

Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association - Nov. 13, Bill Lee sales seminar, Denver, Co.; (303) 292-9500.

Building Industry Show - Nov. 13-14, Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, Ca.; (909) 396-9993.

Northwest Industrial Woodworking Expo - Nov. l3-14, Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center, Tacoma. Wa.; (828) 459-9894.

Western Building Material Association's l05th annual convention is set for Nov. 12-14 at the Red Lion Inn. Seattle, Wa.

The event opens with a welcome reception and continues the next day with a seminar by Mark Laliberte, president, Building Knowledge, on systems approach thinking, identifying goals in building performance, efficiency and moisture control, and the economics of improved homes.

Highlights of the final evening are the president's banquet and a casino night with prizes.

Lumber Association of California & Nevada has finalized the education programs for its annual conference Nov. 6-7 at the Marriott Napa Valley Hotel & Spa, Napa, Ca.

Bruce Merrifield, Merrifield Consulting Group, will offer insights on "Proactive Selling Strategies for

Tough Times."

Gary Schlossberg, senior economist at Wells Capital Management, will speak on "The Economic & Financial Market Outlook through 2009: Fight a Three-Front War."

Vic Hausmanifer, CPA, will share "The Seven Things You Can Do to Strengthen Your Operations in a Recessionary Economy."

Dec. 4 is the date for the 2nd Growth holiday meeting at Sheraton Cenitos. Cerritos, Ca.

Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association will offer two seminars by Mike Butts, president of LBM Solutions, in early December at the Holiday Inn Denver Central, Denver, Co. Butts will tackle blueprint reading and material take-offs Dec. 3-4 and "Operations Management for Today's Lumberyard" Dec.5.

North American Building Material Distribution Association has opened registration for its annual convention & tabletop business session Nov. l2-13 in National Harbor, Md., near Washington, D.C.

Just a week after the U.S. presidential election, the two-day event will bring together both distributors and manufacturers to address the current economic challenges impacting the industry due to the recent decline in the housing market.

Attendees will hear from Howard Fineman, senior Washington correspondent & political columnist for Newsweek, on the business impact of the election. Other speakers are colporate executive Bob Prosen, on how to lead a company through unfavorable economic conditions, and economist Brian Beaulieu. Institute for Trend Research, with a 2009 economic forecast for the LBM industry.

Time to throw a green event

By Jay Tompt

[rALL is here. And for do-it-your-

selfers, their attention has turned to pre-holiday home projects, like painting a room or making the house a little more energy efficient.

For green builders, this is the season of two of the most important green building industry events, West Coast Green in San Jose, Ca., and Greenbuild in Boston, Ma.

West Coast Green happened in late September (see what you might have missed by visiting www.westcoastgreen.com) and has firmly established itself as a leading showcase for building innovation and education for pros and homeowners. Of course, the U.S. Green Building Council's Greenbuild Conference & Expo, coming up in mid-November (www.greenbuildexpo. org) is the big green building event. So, with home projects and green building topics top-of-mind for many of vour customers. it mieht be time to

host a green event at your store.

Hosting a green event in your store can bring in some of your best customers, as well as new customers. It can also bring other less tangible benefits, including creating positive word of mouth, strengthened relationships with community leaders, and staff enthusiasm. The best part is that it doesn't have to cost very much, esPecially if you elicit support from your suppliers and local organizations. Let me share some examples of what some of the best green retailers are doing on the West Coast.

Creating a workshop around a cool product or new building technique can bring in motivated customers. American Clay (www.americanclay. com), a natural plaster product from New Mexico, is being stocked by a growing number of green retailers throughout the country. It's a beautiful alternative to paint, but it takes a little

extra know-how to apply it correctly, so the manufacturer and their dealers host workshops in the store. These events cost virtually nothing to produce and have proven to be a boon for the retailers. Customers pay for the workshop, buy the product, and come back with their friends.

A more traditional home improvement dealer in Northern California, Central Valley Building Supply, added the line last year and has hosted several American Clay workshops, finding that sales of other products get a boost, too.

Having a sexy, niche product can be an effective draw, but that's not the only way to attract motivated customers. Virgil's Hardware Home & Garden in Southem California recently hosted an event promoting water conservation. With support from their suppliers and the local water authority, they set up product demos and distributed rebate information. connecting customers to the right products for their project and the right rebate information for their community. Given that rebate information can be confusing to some people, it provided a real community service, saved their customers money, and boosted sales.

There are other simple themes one can create an event around. One retailer I know offered l5Vo off for all women on a "Women's Day" promotion and set up tables with information from local nonprofit organizations promoting awareness of common household chemicals.

The main point is to create an event that will be compelling in some way. But that's not enough-you need to get the word out to your customers and influential members of your community. Have your cashiers hand out small flyers with every purchase for a couple of weeks in advance-printed double-sided on recycled paper, of course.

But most importantly, make a few personal phone calls to local green building advocates and community leaders and let them know what you're doing. It boosts your reputation and will boost your business. Oh yes, and remember to have fun.

- Jay Tompt is vice president of green product development at Plan-It Hardware, San Francisco, Ca., which distributes Breen products for hardware and home improvement stores throughout California. and a leading expert in sustainable business and supply chain issues. He can be reached at ido@plan-ithardware.com or (415) 359-9914.

Green lt YoeE6lf ffi*

SHOW YOUR COLORS: Consider staging a green event, such as Glendale, Ca.-based Virgil's recent water conservation dav.

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The burdens of family ownership

By John Ward and Craig Aronoff

utation. And they are constantly compared to examples of success set by prior generations.

Family business owners add even more to their loads when they take time to strengthen the family team and work to plan for family continuity. These efforts require several more hours per week. Perhaps a conscientious owner has one and three-quarters jobs at once-compromising family time and personal time.

\/IRTUALLY every owner of a Y successful tamily business at one time or another asks, "Is this worth it?" Some ponder that question daily.

Despite the benefits of business success, the challenges of melding family and business can be daunting. The burdens are real. While the public perceives the advantages and privileges of ownership, we think it's helpful and important for those in-and out of-family businesses to also appreciate the weight of responsibility and the demons of doubt bome by so many family business leaders.

Some of the business owner's burdens relate to money. While some people think that business owners are rich, they rarely feel that way themselves. They often feel financially insecure. Many put their personal assets at risk, backing bank loans to the business. Others bear the risk of having all their assets tied up in the business, when financial planners would argue that diversification would be more appropriate. Taxes seem burdensome and unfair.

On top of these pressures, business leaders often struggle with balancing the need for money to grow the business with family pressures to take money out. Parents bear the added burden of teaching their children to maintain perspective about money.

The competition between business and family not only for money, but for time, attention, emotional energy, and every other personal resource is a

source of many burdens. As one family business leader put it, "Wearing two or three hats all the time will give you a real headache." In talking with family business leaders, we often hear phrases like "If I didn't care so much..." Indeed, perhaps the most orevalent burden is the stress and time demands associated with deeply and intensely caring. Consider the followins dilemma of a family business successor. "I feel like I'm working at least a job and a half. In addition to doing everything I'm supposed to do as an employee, I have to work even harder because, as an owner, I care so much about the company. I feel guilty if I don't fix everything I see that is wrong. If I don't attend to something, I worry that employees will think I don't carethen they won't care! Consequently, I put so much on my plate that I get stressed out!"

Relatives not active in the business rarely appreciate these burdens fully. They think that family members who work in the business have lots of perks and the freedom to do whatever they want. Those outside the business are often envious of those inside, seeing a job and its rewards as privileges.

It's our view that in most cases, family members not in the business underestimate the emotional load carried by family members in the business. Calculating the value of such duty of care and its worth in compensation is almost impossible. We're not just talking workload. Successors in the business worry whether they are satisfactorily protecting the interests of all the family members. They are stressed by the realization that their mistakes not only are expensive, but may risk their family's legacy and rep-

There are several other burdens peculiar to business-owning families. Continued ownership raises the serious concern that future generations of family will feel obliged to enter the business. If being a part of the family business is felt as a duty to parents or to history, the involvement is rarely fulfilling or sustainable. Keeping involvement and ownership in perspective requires a real commitment. Helping and educating the family regarding perspective can be a continuous responsibility.

Many owners also feel a deep responsibility to employees. They agonize over employee selection, development and wellbeing. Often, employees are viewed as extended family and treated accordingly. If layoffs become necessary, owners struggle with this painful decision and may feel personally responsible for failing to provide ongoing employment.

Business owners also have to deal with community expectations. With so much money tied up in the business, it can be difficult to meet the expectations of local charities. The decision not to contribute can create strained relations with friends and colleagues. One next-generation member of a sizable business struggled with neverending invitations to charitable functions that she could not afford to attend. While she was wealthy on paper, she had limited cash flow to support so many charitable causes.

The visibility of being an owner is also a burden. We've known families who have changed their family names or their company names or locations to increase the possibility of having some privacy and anonymity.

Being a family business also raises some conflict of interest issues. Should a business owner curb his or her entrepreneurial instincts and not invest personally in suppliers or customers if the opportunity arises? If there are other family shareholders, perhaps yes. Often it is necessary to

(Please turn to page 30)

The Burdens Of Family Ownership

(Continued from page 28) ignore personal opportunities and the chance to increase personal wealth and income for the sake of the business and as a precedent for future generations.

Business ownership can also prompt tension with spouses. Practical advice may urge signing a prenuptial agreement, but that often causes pain to the newlyweds. Marrying into a business-owning family can be difficult for spouses who have not grown up with the pressures of business ownership. Spouses must also live in the light of public expectations.

For example, one wife complained, "I'm expected to be perfect...always 'on.' I have to represent the family at lots ofevents. I have to deflect those who are looking for gossip about the business, and I feel awkward when I walk into the business; all eyes are on me." Spouses also struggle with the time commitment required to attend family meetings and business events.

Why would a family put up with these burdens? We find

that several answers-some good, some bad-are frequently given:

"I'm expected to join the business and carry on ownership. If I didn't, I'd feel like I was rebuking my parents wishes for me." We find that thinking to be very negative.

. "Passing on the business is sure better than the alternatives. I'd be afraid our kids might be spoiled by wealth if we sold. But I don't want to give it away either." This reasoning misses the point: Someday all children of successful business owners will have some privileges. The sooner they learn to cope with wealth and position, the better.

. "Figuring out how to sustain our business across generations is a formidable challenge, but it's one that strengthens and binds our family together." Many families argue that succeeding against tough odds is rewarding and fun.

. "By keeping our business in the family, we ensure that our values will be sustained in the company and even more broadly in our community and with other stakeholders." We find passing on family values or sharing the family's business as an example or model of how to help society to be the most compelling reason for continuing. These families share with their children a sense of motivation and mission, of being part of something important and greater than any one individual.

- :*6,s/4x4, st4x6

t 2x2,2x4,2x6,4x4

o Cap & Sub Rail

Cumanr Declcing Kiln Dried - s/4x6

r FSC-certified & non-certified

Mouldin$ - Over 200 stock profiles

o Custom knife grinding

o Mount Storm's in-house milling facility produces high quality moulding. Our Rosenquist radio frequency gluer can fabricate glued-up solid wood panels up to 48" wide. Sanding is also available up to 53" wide.

Hardwood S4S - Stocking a large inventory of Hardwood S4S - 1x2 lx4 1x6 1x8 lxl0 1x12

o Redoak r Hard Maole r Cherrv

o Poplar r Birch

. Walnut

Hardwood Pllnoood & Lumber

Consult website for full inventory

Several burdens accompany family business ownership. We hope those family members who are not employees appreciate the extra load carried by family members who are in the business. We hope everyone in the family will seek to understand how different family members carry different burdens.

We also hope the business-owning family explicitly defines the special meaning and value of family ownership. The more compelling the mission of the family and the business, the less burdensome ownership feels.

- John Ward is co-founder of the Family Business Consulting Group, Marietta, Ga.; (800) 551-0633. He can be reached at ward @efamilybusiness.com. Craig Aronoff is a co-founder and principal, and can be reached at aronoff@efomilybusiness.com.

Reprinted with permission from The Family Business Advisor, a copyrighted publication of Family Enterprise Publishers. No portion of this article may be reproduced without permission of Family Enterprise Publishers.

Merger Greates ldaho Giant

Idaho Forest Group LLC is the name of the recently merged Bennett Forest Industries and Riley Creek Lumber (see Aug., page 33).

The merger creates Idaho's largest forest products company, with five manufacturing facilities - Chilco, Grangeville, Laclede, Moyie Springs and Priest River-capable of producing over 800 million bd. ft. of lumber a year. Products include Douglas fir, larch, white fir, hem-fir, ponderosa pine, ESLP, SPF, and cedar.

The sales staff is presently in Chilco, but will relocate to Coeur d'Alene early next year after construction of a new office is completed.

Boise Closes Veneer Mill

Boise Cascade ceased manufacturing Sept. 1l at its veneer mill in St. Helens, Oregon.

"The current market for wood products, and prolonged downturn in demand for products using veneer produced at this mill, have necessitated this closure," said BC's Bob Smith.

The company opened the veneer plant in l97l after purchasing the former sawmill site in 1969.

"At this point in time, we consider

this a permanent closure," Smith said. "Our plans are to retain the property and mothball the facility for the foreseeable future. We discontinued our swing shift in February and have already experienced numerous temporary curtailments this year."

Oregon Hardwood Mill Opens

Collins Cos., Portland, Or., begins production this month at the Upper Columbia Sawmill, near the former Potlatch tree farm in Boardman, Or.

The sawmill, a sister planing mill at the Port of Morrow, and the tree farm are owned by Greenwood Tree Farm Fund, whose partners include Greenwood Resources, which will manage the tree farm, and Collins, which will run the mills

Potlach originally planted the fastgrowing poplar tree farm for pulp, but current owner Greenwood sees more value in cutting the trees for saw logs.

Initially, the mills will process only logs from the poplar plantation, but may use other sources in the future, according to Todd Laitinen, project manager for the construction of the facilities. Collins is marketing products from the mills under the trademark "Pacific Albus."

The sawmill is set to open Oct. l3 and the planer in early November.

Laitinen speculated that the operation could one day be among the largest hardwood samills in the country. "The largest is 100 million bd. ft., and we're shooting for 90 to 100," Laitinen said. "We're not guaranteeing we're going to be the largest, but we're going to shoot for it."

Fire Destroys Oregon Yard

Bronson Lumber Co. lost its La Grande, Or., store in an early morning fire Sept. 14. Although the main building and its contents were a total loss, firefighters managed to salvage the lumber and warehouses out back.

The location continues to operate despite the loss. "They're actually making deliveries as best they can," said Craig Beverage, manager of Bronson's store in Union, Or.

Unfortunately, the computer for all four Bronson yards was housed at the La Grande location and destroyed in the blaze.

The fire was the second disaster this year for the La Grande location. In the spring, severe winds blew the roof off the building. "It's like a double whammy," Beverage said.

At n."t Lumber Service, we supply domestic and foreign hardwoods.

Our products and services include:

llardwood Lumber & Pine

. flardwood Plywood & Veneers

. Melarnine Plywood

Hardwood Moulding (alder, cherry, mahogany, MDF, rnaple, red oak, paint grade, pecan hickory, white oak, walngl, beech)

. Milling (moulding profiles, S2S, SLRIE, SLR2E, & resawn lurnber)

Voodworking Accessories (appliques, ornarnents, butcher blocks, corbels, etc.)

. Woodworking Supplies (deft finishes, color puttyo adhesives, etc.)

interior finish carpentry, furniture, cabinetry and hundreds of industrial and manufacturing applications. Ve stock a complete line of cornplernentary products to cornplete virtually any woodworking or rnillwork project.

2x4 Grn oo5Fi:_" ---"

2xS GgD6ug Flr

1%',W

2x4 GrnDoue Firl : --ol

2x4 KD D.Fir, Hem Fir, \{h, Fir Cedar

4x4 Grn D Fir, Hem Fir, Wh Fii- '

2x6 Grn Doug Fir

2x10 Grn DoueFir

Dave Ramsey, ex-Mason County Forest Products, is now with Welco Lumber. Olympia. Wa.

Mike Teresa, ex-Shasta Industries, has joined Building Material

Distributors, Galt, Ca., as building products executive general mgr.

Jim Stockman, chief operations officer, Hayward Corp., Monterey, Ca., has added the title of v.p.

Mike Caputo, ex-All Coast Forest Products, is now representing TimberTech in Southem Califomia.

Brandon Koger, ex-Parr Lumber, and Tammy Snook, ex-ProBuild, are new account mgrs. at Capital Lumber, Tangent, Or.

Roy Crow retired at the end of September after l6 years with Frank Lumber Co., Mill City, Or. Chris Close, ex-Cascade Wood Products and Willamette Industries. is the new sales mgr.

BUILDING MATERIAL Distributors. Inc.. Galt, Ca., entertained top dealer customers and suppliers at its recent 25th Anniversary Golf Classic in Woodbridge, Ca. A post-tournament banouet included a birthday and retirement celebration lor former BMD Dresident and c.e.o. Steve Ellinwood. (1) Don Koch, Ellinwood, Scott Myers. Jim Pelka. (2) Adrian Garcia, Dan Medzyk, Matt Firks. (3) Mike Bugbee, Garry Tabor, Steve Taylor, Chris Nelle.

Dan Kingery has been named v.p.sales & marketing at Platte Valley Woodworks, Fort Collins, Co., and will oversee expansion into markets nationwide.

Pat Carper has retired from Bennett Forest Industries, Coeur d'Alene, Id., after 35+ years in the industry.

Linda K. Massman, Potlatch Corp., Spokane, Wa., has agreed to serve as v.p. of finance and chief financial officer for Clearwater Paper Corp., the proposed spin-off of Potlatch's pulp-based businesses.

Brett Wood has been promoted to president of Toyota Material Handling USA, Irvine, Ca., succeeding Shankar Basu, who remains c.e.o. and becomes chairman.

Gary Townsend, president-solid wood products, West Fraser, Vancouver, B.C., will retire at the end of the year, along with Martti Solin, c.f.o. and executive v.p.finance & corporate development, and Bill LeGrow, v.p.-transportation & energy. Effective Jan. 1, Gerry Miller will become c.f.o. and executive v.p.-finance; Ray Ferris, v.p.-solid wood products, and Mark Thomson, general mgr.transportation. Larry Hughes, senior v.p. and secretary, will assume primary responsibility for corporate development.

Larry Williams has resigned after five years as president of the Steel Framing Alliance, to join the International Iron & Steel Institute in Belgium. Mark Nowak is serving as acting president of SFA, while the board seeks a permanent replacement.

Linda Geise has joined Do it Best Corp. as merchandise mgr. for housewares.

Michael Mangan is now senior v.p. of Black & Decker and president of its Worldwide Power Tools & Accessories division.

Matt Carey is the new executive v.p. and chief information officer for Home Depot.

Karel K. Czanderna has been named group president of building materials for Owens Corning.

Reginald Howatson is now senior account executive for ScoopSoft ERP sales in North America.

Lotta Puffin heads the new fitness program at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., report Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

Terretec Naturals* is appealing on many levels. Because it's made with rice hulls and recycled plastic and requires none of the preservatives or biocides that many woo&based composites use, it is an ideal choice for homeowners iooking for green alternatives. But, the bene6ts of rice hulls don't srop there'

Using hi$+ilica rice hulls in the composite mix gives you a very dense, durable deck board thati naturally resistant ro stains, molds and insects. Terratec was also developed as an building svstem, which makes installation easier. Terratec Naturals is available to retailers throughout the Northwest and Northern

Fastener Distributors Merge

PrimeSource Building Products, Carrollton, Tx., has purchased the assets of fastener distributor Compass International. Anaheim. Ca.

Compass' brands include Darts self-drilling screws, DeckMark deck fasteners, TapMark concrete accessories, and Marker drywall, sheet metal, wood, cement and multipurpose screws, steel building fasteners, and driver accessories.

Compass has offices in Anaheim, Chicago, Houston, and Atlanta.

California. Visit our website to learn more. To help kick things off, were including Terratec Naturals in our 107o customer rSate deal. Homeowners can save up to $300 if they use our ExtraGreen' treated lumber for the under-structure. Simply have them enter "Sweet Deal" as their promotional code in the discount coupon form on our website, All that's required is proof ofpurchase. Offer good through 12.08, sorne restrictions apply. Et

the best outdoor ptojects start with the best materials

SCARBOROUGH LUMBER, Boulder Creek, Ca., recently restored its classic, 1940's era neon sign. "We decided lo invest in restoration because the sign is a landmark, both for us and for the community as people drive into Boulder Creek," said owner Morgan Scarborough.

Plum Creek Cuts Back ln Montana

Plum Creek Timber. Seattle. Wa.. has cut production at two of its Montana mills and is "seriously considering some consolidation" of its other operations in the state.

Due to market conditions, the company temporarily ceased production Sept. 30 at its fingerjoint stud mill in Kalispell, Mt. The closure will last for at least the remainder of the year, with hopes to restart the facility in 2009 if conditions improve.

In addition. Plum Creek laid off 35 workers at its MDF plant in Columbia Falls, Mt.

Laid-off employees were encouraged to apply for jobs at other Plum Creek facilities in the Flathead Valley, but the future of those plants is also uncertain. "This is a tough, tough market," said Rick Holley, president and c.e.o. "I'm an optimist, and I can usually see a light in the darkness. But I look down that tunnel today, and it's just black. I can't see any light."

According to Hank Ricklefs, v.p.northern resources & manufacturing division, until recently, MDF was one of the few bright spots because it is used for moulding, doors and furniture, but not generally for new home construction. "But now we're caught in the late-cycle effect and we have to try to come to grips with that," Ricklefs said. "We can't run 24 hours per day, seven days per week. We can't fill it up."

The company's manufacturing division lost $9 million during the first fiscal quarter of 2008, said Holley, and continued to lose ground during the second quarter. Last year, total earnings were down 935 million.

"Our land sales in Montana have come to a screeching halt," said Holley, with the exception of a large conservation deal to sell 320.000 acres into public ownership. After several years of red-hot real estate, he said, "we're selling maybe a couple lots per month. It's really slow."

At some point, he said, it no longer makes sense to operate two similar facilities at half production. He said that sawmills in Pablo and Columbia Falls could be combined, as could plants in Fortine and Evergreen.

"You don't do things like this lightly, but at some point you have to start looking at alternatives that maintain the jobs you have," said Holley. He predicted that Plum Creek "will have to seriously think about consolidation"

unless markets improve dramatically by the first quarter of 2009.

Dealer Turns From Retail

Collins Cashway, Loveland, Co., will shutter its 32-year-old retail store by the end of the year to concentrate on pro sales from its adjacent 35,000sq. ft. lumberyard.

The 20,000-sq. ft. store currently accounts for just 77o to l}Vo of sales, down from a high of 40Vo in the l 970s.

In addition to lumber sales, Collins Cashway will continue to sell tools, fasteners and other basic hardware items, as well as offer insulation installation and kitchen cabinets, two profitable niches cultivated over the last few years.

"We picked our niches and got lucky," said co-owner Doug Frost.

Frost called the consolidation "the next logical step. We just don't need the 20,000 sq. ft."

The retail building will be leased or sold to a local church.

Northwest Dealer Bucks Economic Slump

Despite a soft economy, familyowned Ziegler Lumber has enjoyed record sales volumes this summer.

"As a whole, our company is doing pretty well right now," said Reid Ziegler, co-owner of the 43-year-old chain. "A lot of that is due to the fact that we have good people who do a good job of serving our customers. The bigger your knowledge pool, the smarter you get as a company."

Based in Spokane, Wa., the chain has seven retail locations in Washins-

ton and Idaho.

Ziegler believes the company has weathered the housing downturn because contractors make up just 10% of its business and homeowners are remodeling rather than buying new homes.

But if anyone does wants to buy a home or alot,Ziegler Lumber has that covered, too. The family has been buying home lots in eastern Washington and northern Idaho for some time. Last year, they launched a

home-development division named Ziggy's C&D LLC that builds on some of the lots. Others are sold to homebuilders or nonprofits such as Habitat for Humanity.

"My dad started out in the business building homes, and we decided we wanted to get back into that in a more formal way," said Reid Ziegler. "It creates activity and another revenue stream."

Ziegler said the company "is always looking for opportunities, either in new retail stores or in different aspects of the business." For example, a cabinet-assembly plant is currently being considered, although nothing is definite now.

Buying products far ahead of time and effective inventory management are other tactics that enable success in a difficult market. The company bought a year's supply of steel roofing in January, and the price has since gone up 40Vo.

"The key is in understanding commodity markets. We do a good job of purchasing materials at the right price and time," he said. "Nine times out of l0 we're on the right side of the page. In this business, you better get more right than wrong."

Treater Adds Marine Coating

Thunderbolt Wood Treating, Riverbank, Ca., is adding a coating service for treated wood intended for marine applications.

Using a high pressure spray process, the plant will apply a marinegrade polyurea coating to creosote or Chemonite ACZA pressure-treated piling, poles, timbers and lumber.

Polyurea provides abrasion protection and encapsulates treated wood products, preventing exposure to sensitive aquatic environments.

The new coating services will come on line in early November.

Worker Crushed At ldaho Mill

An employee at Riley Creek's mill in Laclede. Id.. was crushed to death after becoming caught in a piece of mill equipment.

Emergency personnel were summoned to the facility at about 7 a.m. Sept.9, but 54 year-old Scott Reed died at the scene.

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration's area office in Boise, Id., is investigating the accident and declined comment.

Dealer Gets Greener

Hills Flat Lumber has installed solar panels on their one-year-old building in Grass Valley, Ca. The 30kilowatt project will handle 8-107o of the store's power needs.

"It's a long-term investment, a substantial quarter-million-dollar system before the rebates," said Jeff Pardini, general manager of the family-owned business. He expects the system will pay for itself within eight to l0 years.

The company chose a 3O-kilowatt system because it's the maximum size for commercial rebates from Pacific Gas & Electric at this time. "We did a 145-kilowatt system in Colfax that takes care of 9OVo of our store there," he said. More panels could be installed in Grass Valley if the new system works out. he said.

wE$'rEnN wooDs

What do you needtoday?

lfe Stake Our Reputation on Our Products

Since 1971, Western Woods has built its reputation on supplying our customers with a full line of modern in-demand products. Our remanufacturing facility is equipped with moulders, resaws, stud machines, trimlines, and primelines. From stocking patterns and trims to specially run items. Western \X/oods can make it for you.

FSC Certification -'We're in it Together

Protecting the environment is a choice we can all make. By offering our customers Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified CollinsWood@, you can be assured that the wood you use has been approved under the strictest standards in the world. These products qualify for the following LEED credits:

LEED certifed wood credit (SCS-COC-00933)

. LEED Factory primed, low VOC credit

. LEED exterior siding credit FSC

LEED decking credit FSC

LEED innouation credit

LEED local sources credit

NAHB Model Green Building Guidelines

WESTERN wooDs

produc$ distributor

Now Available FSC Certified

r Softwood lumber

r Hardwood lumber

r Engineered Wood

I Pressure Treated

r Redwood

r COMMCO Klear Choice

The new store in Grass Valley already has a geothermal system for heating and cooling. "Underneath our parking lot we have 24000 sq. ft. of tubes," he said, where water runs to capture a ground temperature of between 50o and 60'. The water is heated or cooled depending on the time of year and need. The building also has a computerized lighting system that shuts off light bulbs when enough light is coming through the skylights during the day.

Millwork Waits For Rebound

Domestic millwork production and sales volumes were down by approximately 2.5Vo in 2008, while average sales prices for industry products remained flat, up just 0.67o during the year, according to a new study by IBISWorld. However, operators were able to continue to grow export sales, assisted by a continued decline in the U.S. dollar.

Declining housing starts also depressed millwork sales by 4Vo in 2001 and are expected to fall another 1.57o in 2009, yet jump3.77o in 2010.

IBISWorld sees the growth of the millwork industry as limited somewhat by a cyclical strengthening of the U.S. dollar, which will make imported products cheaper in the U.S., putting further pricing pressure on domestic milling operators. Imports from China and Brazll are likely to be major drivers of growth in imports of millwork products, having respectively risen by 31 .57o and l07o annually during the past five years.

Other countries that may increase exports to the U.S. in the coming years

incluclc Chilc lLnil Irrcloncsilr (lLtc to l'tcur v rcccnt irtvc'strrrcnt in the u oorl Pt'otlttt l\ \\'r'l('t\ itt tlt.'.C !rrilnlti!'\. \Jcrico nlrr irlso pllrv rr lar-tcr lole il' thc llrpicl growtlt ol latc in thcir dorrrcstic e()nstructloll seelor cools. ;rnrnrptinu thcir- gr-ou ing nrillr.r,olking inrl r-r stlv to look incrcasingl\ lof c-\l)ofl ol)l)ol'tunitics in nclL|br sOuthcfn Ll .S. nrlrkct\.

(iror.l'th nrav ulso bc lcstrie le-rl lrv lr grltlulI shilt in c()nstrLlctior.r llctnt uoocl ploclucts to chcapcl sultstitrrtcs. Winclor,i antl cloor 1'r'urt.tcs ol trlutrrirturn iurrl r irtr l hlrr c shrtu n fiipi(l grou,th in rcecnt leiu-s lirl both r-csirlcntiul antl crtnrtttcrciul. Thc usc ol l'ibclgluss unrl conrposite u oocl rrtrtcrills in er(cliot' tloolt ir ltl.o lrtiittttitt-! l(r inr'lc t\('. Yct. dcvc-lopin!l counllics irt'c

c\l)cctc(l to srrbstuntiallv incrcase their consur-nption and shor.rlcl turn lhnr nct c\l)oftcfs trr ttct intltOItcrs o1'siru'n noocl in orclel to sutisl'v rl<tntcstic dcrrranrl. As thc uollcl's laltest ploclue cl ol' slrrr rru oorl ancl r",oocl ylrclclr-rc1s rrccounling lor 2l.i of globlrl pr-oduetiorr ol \u\\rtuoocl thc U.S. nrilllr olk inclLrstn ntav bcncfit l'ront thc trcrrrl bv intcnsill in!. its c\pofts.

Providing quality building products sincelgSl

producls

Weather-Tough Trimboards

WeatherReady PVC trimboard from Gossen is available in both standard and premium grade.

threat of dry rot.

Made from high-density polymer, the blocks reportedly will not crack, warp. split or decay. They require no pre-drilling and provide full support along the width of the ledger board. Available sizes are 2"x6".2"x8". 2"x10" and 2"x12"

- Please go online at www.deckblocksonline.com

Take A Shine To Metal

Ze-Vo's Metal Wizard is an oilbased coating that can be used to touch up wrought iron railings, light fixtures, mailboxes, and other surfaces with a high-gloss black finish.

Fiber Cement Slicer

Vermont American's newest blade has precision-ground, ultra-fine carbide for cleaner cutting of fiber cement sidins and wallboard.

The standard grade is ready for color-match painting, while the premium grade has a factory-applied white finish that is guaranteed not to fade, darken or yellow.

Both are extruded to size, not ripsawn, for a good-looking edge that won't attract dirt.

- Please call (800) 558-8984 or visit www.gossencorp.com

Block That Deck

Deck Blocks are designed to allow the free flow of air between the deck structure and the siding, to reduce the

Ipe Clip'--:a---a_

Hiddcn Deck Fastencrs

The low-VOC product works on any wood or metal surface, except galvanized metal , both indoors and outdoors.

A leak-proof sponge applicator on the 4-oz. bottle reportedly enables easy application.

- Please call (508) 879-3151 or visit www.zev opr oducts gr oup.c om

A thin kerf is said to permit users to cut faster, while the hardened plate keeps the blade running true and clean.

The 7-114" blade has a 5/8" arbor to fit any standard circular saw and a l3l16" diamond knock-out for worm drive saws.

- Please go online at www.vermont%merican.com

Utility Knife Scores Big

A heavy-duty fixed blade utility knife from C.H. Hanson is compact, lightweight, and useful for a variety of applications-including scoring drywall.

SpeedRocker-SS weighs 5 oz. and

rcrrying about nail pops on the deking curface.

measure 5" long, has three positivestop blade positions, and blades can be changed without using a tool.

- Please visit www.chhanson.com

Getting Higher

LiftPod from JLG Industries reportedly combines the portability of a ladder with the stability of a work

platform-and it can be transported in a pickup truck or SUV.

An enclosed platform allows workers to safely move around, hands-free,

Tropical Hardwoods

Extreme Tropical Hardwoods from McFarland Cascade are now available prefinished for use as exterior decklng.

With prefinished hardwoods, contractors can deliver and besin installa-

while the l4-ft. working height elimi nates walking up and down a ladder.

- Please call (877) 554-5438 or visit www.liftpod.com

tion on the same day. Use of the Super Deck Screw also allows speedier installation, while Extreme Finish can be keep the product looking new.

- Please call (800) 426-8430 or vi s it www .mcfarlandcas c ade .c om

WHOLESALE ONLY. MILL DIRECT & LCL

Anfinson Lumber is the clear choice for Quality Redwood and Western Red Cedar Dimension, Boards, Patterns and Timbers

GAtt SATES AT (800) 400-8383 r (951) 681-4707

Ray MacDonald, General Manager

Steve Lawrence Sal Segura

Carol 0'Connor. Eddie Howdershelt

Darin Cuffan, 0utside Sales (949) 412-1894

Professional contractors who know quality, know Woodway. Built for professionals by professionals, Woodway's six quality product lines are built tough, made of top-quality solid wood and are carefully crafted. Call or email Woodway for complete information about EZ Rail, Architectural Deckrail, Quick Clad post sleeves, post caps, planking and durable lattice panels.

Frame That Moment

A new moment frame from Simpson Strong-Tie allows larger openings and smaller wall sections, while providing high lateral-force resistance for wood, steel and masonry construction.

Strong Frame is pre-designed and manufactured to reduce installation time on jobsites. Sizes up to 19 ft. tall and l6 ft. wide are available, with 1007o bolted connections that don't reouire weldins.

Wood nailers on the framellso reduce installation time and the chance of costly mistakes.

- Please visit www.stronptie.u)m

Hardwood Planks

Staybull Flooring solid, edge-glued planks from Advantage Trim & Lumber reportedly resist cupping more than traditional fl ooring.

The 314" solid hardwood oroduct can be elued to an

aged concrete slab or nailed to a plywood sub-floor. The floooring is available unfinished or prefinished, in a wide array of more than 30 domestic and imported hardwood species.

- Please visit www.staybullflooring.com

Anqara Pine Boards

Etrge-glued and fingerjointed boards of Angara pine from Siberia are a speciality of Teton West Lumber.

Made from FSC-certified wood. the boards have dense grain that allows a fine finish for machined woodwork. Sixteen ft. lengths of 1"x4", 1"x5", and l"xl2" are offered.

- Contctc't ( 307) 778-5008 or visit www.tetonwest.com

Contemporary Cabinetry

Calibra cabincts from Armstrong are manufactured from plantation hardwoods.

Full overlay, flat panel doors and drawers have radius edges for a clean, contemporary style.

Five finishes-espresso, honey, mocha, chestnut, and Bordeaux-are available. along with a full line of decorative trims.

- Please call (800) 527-5903 or go online at www.armstronS.com

Attractive and extremely functional, Bookcase Door Systems offer a distinctive, space-saving option for closets, pantries, wall saJes, wine storage, home offices or hidden rooms just past the threshold. Built with durable 3/4" ApplePly to support a load of 500 lbs., yet quiet and easy to open. Available in hardwood veneers (oak, cherry and maple) with environmentally safe clear and customized stain/paint finishes or unfinished. Woodfold Bookcase Doors ship fully assembled with healy-duty roller system and multi-position steel upper wall guide.

For more information and a list of distributors in your area, contact

WOODFOLD

MFG., INC.

P.O. Box 346, Forest Grove, OR 971 16 Phone (503) 357-7181. Fax (503) 357-7185

www.woodfold.com

Your sourceJor custom-made accordion and roll-up doors

Ine.

the process of linking scanned accounts payable invoices to purchase orders, as well as the creation of AP records for payment.

The software is designed to reduce processing time and eliminate data entry errors.

- Please visit www.activant.com

Larger Format Tiles

Large-format porcelain tiles with crystal inclusions are new from GranitiFiandre.

Compact Combilaser

Hilti's PMC 36 reportedly does the work of both a point laser and a line laser.

The combilaser projects five easily visible points and two reference lines, to handle a wide range of alignment and setting out tasks: checking plumbs, leveling, setting out right angles, and transferring points.

- Please contact (800) 363-4458 or vi s it www.us.hilti.com

Software Solution

New document manasement software from Activant wo-rks with its Falcon and ECS Pro systems. AP Assist automates and expedites

The Crystal Collection's four colors are available in larser sizes36"x I 8" and I 8"x I 8" --alons with 1"x1" mosaics and a variety of-accessory pieces.

- Please go online at www.granitifiandreusa.com

Modern Porcelain Underfoot

Mediterranea' s Metrolife oorcelain tile collection is designed for high- traffic commercial or residential spaces.

TruColor technology allows random mixing of colored clays throughout the entire tile, resulting in a highly textured. artisticallv shaded surface. Five different iizes, plus bullnose accessories and two different styles of mesh-backed mosaics, are available in four colors.

- Please call (305) 718-5091 or v i s it www .me dit errane a- us a.c om

SIERRA PACIFIC hosted its annual open house Sept. 11 in Redding, Ca. (1)Carl Eastlund, Johnny Wilford, Dave Durst. (2) Bob Burger, Vince Viena, Ron Breedlove, Gene Pietila. (3) Larry Rose, Roberta Chase, Tony Meeks. (4) Scott Henson, Jelf Ohm. (5) Mike Garka, Tom Davis, Bob Smith. (6) Bob Shepherd, Steve Stevenson, Rhett Buck. (7) Denis Stack, Joe Allotta. (8) Bill McGovern, Kim Smith. (9) Jon Hagen.

(10) Andy Crall, Andy Faircloth, Tavis Lager. (1 1) Ken Laughlin, Danny Sosa, John Davis, Elaina & DickJackson. (12) Tom & Diana Franklin, Leslie Boies, Danny Osborne. (13) Doug Lundy, Doug Hanson, Bill Hetland, Josh Hanson. (14) Charlie Phillips, Jim Mathews. (15) Charlie Moss, Mark Jantzer. (16) John Picot, John Diederich. (17) Mike Vinum, Rich Giacone. (More photos on next two pages)

MORE SPf (continued from previous page): (11 Doug Willis, Rob Parks. (2) Mark Spengler, Tom Von Moos, Marc Weaver. (3) Chris Tritschler, Ronda McDonald, Troy Bailey. (4) Dennis Mazorra, Nick Elardo, Jeff Squires. (5) Laura & Steve Crane. (6) Greg Raifefty, Tess Lindsey, Ronda Culp, Kurt Mathews. (7) Millard Meeks, Dan Wolter. (8) Bob Palacioz, Todd Schoffstoll. (9) Ryan Land, Ed Langley. (10) Ken Caylor, Alan Oakes. (11)Dave & Shirley Mello. (12)Greg Moss,

THn Mnnur,lnr Mlr;azrun Ocroeen 2008

Steve Robertson, Anthony Chiusolo, Barrett Burt, Hardy Vestal, Rex Klopfer. (13) Jessica Ellington, Beth Bollen, Rick Deen. (14) Pat Collins, Joe Bobinson, Dan Mclntire. (15) Eric Shelby, Raphael Sandoval, Charlie Schweitzer. (16) Greg Hexberg, Tom Flint. (17) Jan Bailey, Lori Collins, Dan Bash, Dewayne Ball. (18) Andi Brown, Tanya Weaver. (19) Chip Brittain, Ron Schneider, Denny McEntire.

(More photos on next page)

STf LL MORE SPI (continued from previous pages): (11Jack Chase, Darren Duchi, Robert West, Rick Vaughn. (2) Heather Hampton, Tiffany Babin, Caitlin Stull, Christina Roggenkamp. (3) Rick Parken, Kelly Walker, Kevin Caughron. (4) Tim DeCoito, Lorena Maradi. (5) Bob Crews, George Emmerson, Jake Crews. (6) Rusty Moore, Clint Briska, Randy Porter. (7) George Hammann, Kevin Paldino. (8) Stefan Dicks, Lee Nelms, Jason Rovig. (9) George Kallas, Jason Faulkner.

Ken Dunham. (11) John Sharp, Troy Ingolia. (12) Walt Schneider, Bob Borghorst. (13) Glenn Wheatley, Mike Foster, Loren Krebs, Jim Talley, Brad Mehl. (14) Rich Baskins, Jefi Niswonger. (15) Rob Swier, Susan Falley. (16)Brian Coyle, Teny Kuehl, Scott North. (17) Joe Rath, Bob Sell, Todd Pollard. (18) Rick Hermanson, Mike Croxlon. Ocroeen

Jean

(10)

Henning,

ploce

Rates: $1.20 per word (25 word minimum) or, if contains artwork or oversized type, rate is by the column inch (2-l18 inches wide): $65 if we set the type, $55 if ad is furnished "camera-ready" (advertiser sets type). Phone number counts as I word. address as 6 words. Headline or centered

California Timberline, fnc.

CALIFORNIA TIMBERLINE, INC., and HERITAGE HARDWOODS INC., are well established wholesale distributors of hardwoods. softwoods, plywood, and custom millwork. We have serviced California. Arizona and Mexico for over 30 years. We are pursuing experienced sales executives for Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, and San Diego. This is an opportunity to have your own tetitory. Please contact Chris Skibba, (909) 591-4811. Resume can be sent confidentially to cskibba@caltimberline.com.

WELL ESTABLISHED Southern California wholesale distribution company is looking for a sales management trainee. Candidate must have a minimum of 5 years experience in wholesale distribution of lumber and panel products. Solid communication skills and product knowledge are a must. Salary is commensurate with experience. We also offer medical and 401/k retirement packages. If you are a salesperson who wants to make the move up to management, or are currently in management and want to make a change, contact us at Box 708, c/o The Merchant,4500 Campus Dr., #480, Newport Beach, Ca. 9266O ; dkoenig@building-products.com.

LUMBER TRADER

We are a wholesale lumber company looking for an experienced trader. Any species. No restrictions on mills or customers. No relocation.60Vo split for trader. Call John at Lakeside Lumber at (623) 566-7100 or email lakesidelumber@cox.net.

copy, $9 per line. Border, $9. Private box, $15. Send ad copy to 4500 Campus Dr., Ste.480, Newport Beach, Ca.92660, Fax 949-852-0231, dkoenig@building-products.com, or call (949) 852-1990. Make checks payable to Cutler Publishing. Deadline: I 8th of previous month.

To reply to ads with private box numbers, send correspondence to The Merchant, c/o the box number shown. Names of advertisers using a box number cannot be released.

LUMBER TRADERS: San Fernando Valleybased wholesale distributor Neiman Reed Lumber Co. is looking to expand its staff of traders. Experience preferred, but we have an opening for a sales management trainee position as well. We cater to industrial manufacturing and retail yard accounts. Our vast inventory includes pine commons, dry dimension, pine selects, DF uppers, panels, and hardwoods. Compensation package is excellent with open territories. lf you're interested in joining our organization with over 600 employees, including affiliates, please contact Ed Langley, (818) 18l-3466 Ext.3473 or by email to elangley@ neimanreed.com. Visit us online at www. neimanreed.com to find out more about our competitive advantages.

FOR SALE: 2006 SeaRay Sundancer 26-ft. Weekender. Single prop.45 hours only. Excellent condition. $79,995. Newport Beach, Ca. Call Dennis, (951) 712-2567.

Fire Levels Oregon Reload

Officials are investigating whether arson was to blame for a Sept. 17 fire that caused $3 million in damages at a rail reload facility owned by International Wood Products, Clackamas, Or.

"There's really no ignition source out there, it's just a bunch of lumber sitting in a parking lot ... so it was just suspicious from the beginning," said Steve McAdoo, public information officer for the local fire district. "In

uones

Harley Charles Hart, 84, longtime Inland Empire lumberman, died Aug. 27 in Redlands, Ca.

Along with his brothers Bud and Don, he owned Mentone Building Materials, Mentone, Ca., from 1946 to 1950, then managed a lumberyard in Arlington, Ca., until 1954.

He then started a career of more than 30 years in wholesale lumber sales, primarily at Inland Wholesale

their preliminary investigation, they couldn't find anything else, any other source for that fire."

No one was injured in the early morning fire, which occurred a quarter mile from International's main office and warehouse.

Owner Angela Adams said the fire was mostly an inconvenience to the company, although the composite decking, siding, and other wood products stored at the one-acre site with three buildinss were a total loss.

the atomic bomb was constructed.

After the war, he worked as a contractor and eventually bought the yard, which he ran until his retirement in 1994.

David Mensing, 84, longtime Bay Area lumberman, died last month.

He served in the U.S. Army during World War II in Okinawa.

Based in Oakland, Ca., he worked for the distribution business of Georgia-Pacific, representing production for its Samoa sawmill, and stayed on when the facility was spun off into Louisiana-Pacific in 1973.

Lumber, Bloomington, Ca. He retired in 1984.

Rod Griffiths, 62, co-owner of #208 Shake & Shingle, Moclips, Wa., died Sept. 10 in Moclips.

He started the company 35 years ago with his brother, Craig Griffiths, who will continue to run the business.

Raymond Lloyd Bugh, 86, retired owner of Moscow Building Supply, Moscow, Id., died Aug. 3l in Moscow.

During World War II, he served in the Army at Los Alamos, N.M., where

He was a former officer of the Oakland Hoo-Hoo Club.

Noel L. Johnson, 80, retired lumber broker for Dant & Russell, Portland, Or., died Aug. 25.

A veteran of the Air Force, he spent 35 years with Dant & Russell.

Leroy ttJesstt Lee, 84, former manager at McCready Lumber, Tigard, Or., died of congestive heart failure Aug. 21 in Tigard.

Mr. Lee served in the Army Signal Corps during World War II.

in apper grades of clear, dry softwoods

Fontana

guide

LOS

Sounrm Cluronrn

Kelleher Corp. (Ontario)................................(909) 635-1560

Kelleher Corp. (Rancho Cucamonga)...........(909) 476-4040

Kelly-Wright Hardwoods................................(714) 632-9930

North Pacitic-So. Ca. Distribution,,................(800) 647-6747

orePac Euilding Products.............................(909) 627-4043

Pacilic Wood Preservin9........,......................(7 1 41 701 -97 42

Parr Lumber C0..... .......(909) 627-0953

Peterman Lumber C0..,........,.,.,....................(909) 357-7730

Redwood Empire... .......(909) 296-961 1

Jlonru & Crumr Cnrronnn

Thunderbolt Wood Treating(800) 826-8709 (209) 869-4561

REDDING / RED BLUFF

Gemini Forest Products...,..,..,.......................(530) 223-7440

Pacific Wood Preserving...............................(530) 824-9400

) 833-0429

CLOVERDALE All-Coast Forest Products.....,.,.,...,....,..........007\ 894-4281 Redwood Empire..... .....(7071894-4241

FRESNO DMK-Pacific.............

MODESTO Big Creek Lumber Co. (Atwater/Merced).,....(209) 356-1433

Shasta Cascade Forest Industries, Inc. ........(530) 243-0500

Shasta Green Inc. ........,..,..,..,...,..,................(530) 335-4924

Sierra-Pacific lndustries ..........,.,...................(530) 378-8000

Siskiyou Forest Products ...(800) 374-0210 (530) 938-2771

Western Woods, Inc....,..,........,.....................(800) 822-8157

SACHAMENTO / STOCKTON AREA

Arch Wood Protection...................................(530) 533-7814

BMD....................... ......(800) 356-3001

California Cascade Industdes.......................(916) 736-3353

California Lumber Inspeclion Service............(209) 334-6956

Capital 1umber.............,....,(209) 946-1200 (866) 946-2280

Capitol Plywood..... .......(916) 922-8861

Holmes Lumber Co., Fred C. (Marysville).....(530) 743-3269

Quolity Western Cedar ProducB

lx4 B()ARDS in 4, 5 ond 6' lengths

Sourrwrsr

2x4 MllS in 8-10'borh rough ond surfoced

Cedor 4x4 P0STS in 4,5,6,7 ,8,9 ond l0'lengths

(541) 672-6528

4418 NE kller Rd., Rosebuq,0R 97470 . F/.X541-672-5676 Don(eller, SolesMonoger .

BEND

guide

Plcrnc llonrnwrsr OREGON

Malheur Lumber Co. (John Day).........,..,.,...,(541) 575-1 148

COOS BAY / NORTH BEND

Conrad Forest Pr0ducls......................,.........(800) 356-71 46 (541 ) 756-2595

Coos Head Forest Producls..........................{800) 872-3388

Warm Spring Forest Products (Bend) ...........(541 ) 553-1 148

EUGENE / SPRINGFIELD

American Laminators (Drain)......,..,.....,....,..(541) 836-2000

Cascade Structural 1aminators............,........(541 ) 726-9836

coos Head Forest Products..........................(800) 382-3388

J.H.8axter...........,.. ,.,.,..(541) 689-3801

Lumber Products.... .......(541) 687-0411

McFarland Cascade ......(800) 426-8430

Rosboro Lumber...... .,.,.,{541 } 746-841 1

Western Woods, 1nc......................................(800) 822-8157

MEDFORD / GRANTS PASS

Allweather Wood Treaters.............................(800) 759-5909

Eagle Plwood Specja|ties...................,....,..(800) 547-5991

Lumber Products..... ......(541) 773-3696

Malheur Lumber Co ..,.,..(541) 575-1 148

Norman Distribution Inc.................................(541 ) 535-3465

Pacific Wood 1aminates......................,.........641\ 469-4177

Swanson Group Inc. ......(541) 956-4300

Waldron Forest Products...............................(541 ) 474-3080

McMINNVILLE / CORVALLIS / SALEM

Capital 1umber...................(541) 223-0020 (866) 898-1 128

Forest Grove Lumber C0...............................(503) 472-3195 Mary's

ROSEBURG

C&D Lumber Co. (Riddle).............................(5411 874-2241

Hoover Treated Wood Products.......,............(800) 531-5558

Johnson Lumber Co., D.R.............................(541\ 874-2231

Keller Lumber Co... ......(541) 672-6528

Riddle Laminators.. ......(541) 874-3151

Roseburg Forest Producls............................(800) 347-7260

WASHINGTON

RggKY mouilrAqs

FERNDALE

Allweather Wood Treaters.........,...................(800) 637-0992

SEATTLE / TACOMA AREA

APA-Engineered Wood Association.............(253) 565-6600

Boise Distribution (Woodinville)...,.................(425) 486-7 477

Capital Lumber Co. ......(253)779-5077

Hardel Mutual P1yw00d..,.,...............,............(800) 562-6344

Kelleher Corp. ...............(206) 735-5780

Lewis County Forest Products.,....................(866) 336-9345

Lumber Products.... ......(800) 677-6967

lvlanke Lumber Co.. ......(800) 426-8488

Mason County Forest Products,.,..................(866) 336-9345

lrcFarland Cascade .....(800) 426-8430

OrePac Building Produc|s,.,...,.,....,..,............(253) 582-9500

Simpson Timber Co ......(206) 224-5000

Welco Lumber........ ......(360) 681-7444

Western Wood Preserving C0.......................(800) 472-7714

SPOKANE

BMD....................... ......(509) 535-3808

Boise Distribution (Spokane),.,.,.,.....,............(509) 928-7650

Boise Distribution (Yakima)...........................(509) 453-0305

Capital Lumber Co.. .....(509) 892-9670

Colville Indian Precision Pine Co. (Omak)....(509) 826-5927

Coos Head Forest Products..........................877\ 922-2213

Lumber Products.... ......(800) 926-8231

OrePac Building Producls...............,.............(509) 892-5555

FAX to 949-852-0231

Want to Subscribe?

Check Is Enclosed

News or Comments? we welcome comments on articles or news of your company such as new hires or expansions. Just email dkoenig@building-products.com or Fax this form to 949-852-0231:

Celebrating

For the finest service in the industry, call on Swaner for a steady, reliable source of quality hardwood products at competitive prices.

Lumber / S4S

Plywood

M&M Builders Supply........ ..........51

McFarland Cascade Iwww.mcfarlandcascade.com].....................36

Mount Storm Forest Products [www.mountstorm.com] ............30

Norman Distribution Inc. Iwww.normandistcom].......................35

OSBMarket by Silvaris Corp, [www.osbmarket.com] ..........,......30

Pacific Wood Laminates Iwww.pwlonline.com].........................,.,.23

Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Co. [www.plmins.com] ........34

Rainbow Attic Stair Iwww,rainbowatticstair.com] ......................36

Reel Lumber [wwwreellumber,com]......... .........,.32

Regal Custom Millwork

Reliable Wholesale Lumber Inc. [wwwrwli.com] ........................39

Roseburg Forest Products [www.rfpco.com] ...........................,.....25

Simpson Strong-Tie [wwwstrongtie.com]..............,...........Cover III

SkuttleTight Inc. [www.skuttle-tight.com] ...........56

Sunbelt [wwwsunbeltrackscom]