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Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association's Colorado WOOD Council will host its year-end party Dec. 4 at Mile High Stadium Club at Invesco Field, Denver, Co.

West Coast Lumber & Building Material Association's 40-and-under 2nd Growth group is holding its holiday meeting at its regular spot, Embassy Suites, Brea, Ca.

Portland Wholesale Lumber Associationts signature annual event, its holiday lunch, will be held Dec. 5 at the Embassy Suites Airport, Portland, Or.

Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman's Club has selected Five Crowns, Corona del Mar, Ca., as the site of its Dec. 13 holiday party.

National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association installed J.D. Saunders, president of Economy Lumber, Campbell, Ca., as its new chair during the group's recent industry summit in San Diego, Ca.

He succeeds Chris Yenrick, president of Smith Phillips Building Supply, Winston-Salem, N.C.

Other new officers are lst vice chair Davis Boland, Boland Maloney Lumber, Louisville, Ky.; 2nd vice chair Michael Cassidy, TW Perry, Gaithersburg, Md.; treasurer Scott Engquist, Engquist Lumber, Harcourt,

New Appointees to Softwood Lumber Board

U.S. Agriculture Secretary

Tom Vilsack has appointed

Adrian Blocker, Weyerhaeuser Co., Federal Way, Wa., and Fritz R. Mason, Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta, Ga., to three-year terms on the Softwood Lumber Board.

Re-appointed were Andrew Miller, Stimson Lumber, Portland. Or., and George Emmerson, Sierra Pacific, Anderson, Ca.

New importers include Ted Seraphim, West Fraser Timber Co., Vancouver, B.C.; Don Demens, Western Forest Products, Vancouver; and Charles Tardif, Maibec, St.-Romuald, P.Q.

Ia.; Manufacturers & Services

Council chair Gary Nackers, Do it Best, Fort Wayne, In.; and Federated Association Executives chair David Garrett, Eastern Building Material Dealers Association, Lancaster, Pa.

During the event, Roger Dankel, president of Simpson Strong-Tie, Pleasanton, Ca., was honored for his service as chair for the past two years of the Manufacturers & Services Council.

OSH Testing Robot Clerks

Lowe's will test four customer-service robots at an Orchard Supply Hardware store in San Jose, Ca.

Schedule to literally roll out late this month or early next, the "OSHbots" are tall white columns with wheels to move around the store, large black screens in the front and back, and 3D cameras, so they can scan and identify items. They allow customers to research products they want to buy on the screens, then the robot can escort them to the appropriate aisle.

They can also alert customers if something is in or out of stock-in English or Spanish.

Worldwide Insulation Demand Booming

Global demand for insulation is expected to rise 5Vo annually through 2018 to nearly 25 billion sq. meters of R-l value, according to a new

Freedonia Group report.

In developing countries, rising building construction and industrial activity will lead to increased demand for insulation. In high-income countries, demand should rebound from declines in home construction during the prior five years. In addition, government efforts to reduce energy consumption will lead to the adoption of new building codes that require increased insulation usage.

Strong growth in residential building construction activity will be the primary driver of demand worldwide. In North America alone, demand for insulation in residential construction applications will grow over 5Ea per year.

The Asia/Pacific region is forecast to post the fastest growth in insulation demand, accounting for more than one-half of new worldwide insulation demand. Biggest gainers will include China, India and lndonesia.

In terms of value, insulation demand will advance more than 67o yearly through 2018 to nearly $50 billion. Foamed plastic insulation will post the fastest gains, as it captures market share from fiberglass and mineral wool products used in construction applications.

Demand for fiberglass insulation will benefit from a residential construction recovery in North America. Mineral wool products are forecast to exhibit the slowest growth, but advances will still be strong, in part due to high favorability in China, where fire safety is a large concern.

Rawlin Gilbert "Mac" MclnellY, 71, owner of RFP Manufacturing, Spanaway, Wa., died SePt. 5 in Tacoma, Wa.

He entered the lumber business in the early 1960s, working the green chain at Manke Lumber, Tacoma, and eventually rising to sales manager. After 20 years, he joined an international lumber brokerage, then opened his own, before purchasing a mill in 1995 and renaming it RFP (for "Real Fine People"). He acquired a Tacoma dry kiln in2012.

He was a past president of the Puget Sound Lumber Association and the Tacoma Lumberman's Club.

Edward E. Wilson, 88, former sales manager for Ochoco Lumber Co., Prineville, Or., died Sept. 26.

He served in the ArmY Air Force during World War II and graduated from Oregon State College in 1949. He spent 42 years with Ochoco, retiring\n 1992.

Harry Harrison Deuber Jr., 83, former advertising manager for Ziegler Lumber Co., Spokane, Wa., and creator of the chain's Ziggy car' toon logo, died Oct.4.

He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He joined Ziegler Lumber in the late 1960s, heading the ad department for 39 years. After creating theZiggy mascot in 1969, the entire chain began going by theZiggy's name.

Donald D. Cherovsky,75, retired salesman with Wisconsin California Forest Products, Redding, Ca., died Oct. 5 after a brief illness.

After a serving in the U.S. ArmY, he joined Kimberly Clark, Neenah, Wi., and transferred to Redding in 197 3 He joined Wisconsin California in 1975.

Nita Jean Fittro, 82, longtime salesperson with Weyerhaeuser, Longview, Wa., died Oct. ll in Portland, Or.

She joined the company in 1950 and retired from the lumber sales department in 1985.

John D. Spruiell, 62, longtime employee with Alpine Lumber, Frederick, Co., died Oct. 6 in Longmont, Co.

He worked briefly with Wickes Lumber in the early 1970s, before starting his career at AlPine. He retired in 2009.

Dick L. Rozema, 65, former owner of Standard Door SuPPlY, Provo, Ut., died from an aortic aneurysm Oct.2.

He spent many years with Standard

Builders Supply, Salt Lake CitY and Provo, before owning his own business. For the last ten years, he worked for Century Equipment, SPanish Fork, Ut.

Betty M. Fisher, 82, former coowner of Michel's Feed & Building Supply, Glendale, Or., died Oct. 9 in Azalea. Or.

She operated the business with her husband, Robert, for over 30 Years, until 1995.

Ross Gorman, 93, co-founder of Gorman Bros. Lumber, West Kelowna, B.C., died Oct. 19 after a battle with Parkinson's disease.

Harold J. "Hal" Salwasser, 69, former dean of the College of Forestry at Oregon State University, Corvallis, Or., died Oct. 15 in Corvallis.

He served as regional forester for the northern region of the U.S. Forest Service, which included Idaho, Montana, and the Dakotas, before becoming c.e.o. of the Forest Service's Pacific Southwest Research Station. He then spent l2 Years as dean of forestry at OSU and also directed its Forest Research Laboratory, before stepping down in 2012.He remained active on the faculty, but had planned to retire from OSU at the end of the year.

SMALL WHOLESALE distributor in Portland, Or., area is seeking salesperson to sell westem red cedar and other softwood products to retail/specialty trade in southern Oregon, California and Nevada. Send inquiries to dkoenig@building-products.com or to Box '724,cloThe Merchant,4500 Campus Dr. #480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660;Fax 949-852-0231