Think MinoritY

(Continued from Page 401 ple are not comfortable dealing with clients of a diverse tackground. Yes. we're all 'just people." but certain cultures have distinct buying styles. If your salespeople and managers can't effectively sell to those people. your company is headed for trouble.

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Fot example. as a result of not interacting well with a diverse clientele. your managers may not meet their sales or production goals. When people don't meet goals. frustraiion ,.tr in. When too much frustration is present. people leave the company for what they perceive as a better opportunity. Now the company has to do a big hiring initiative to replace those who have left. But if they're not hiring people *ilo .un effectively interact with the emerging markets' they'll quickly find themselves repeating the same cycle of low production. frustration' and ultimately attrition' lt's time to stop the cYcle now.

Hire Smart

So the real question is not "How do we sell to minority communities?": rather. it's "How do we attract minority workers into our company and help them become successful?" After all. continual turnover is expensive. and it hurts the company's brand image and equity in the community' No company wants to spend needlessly or appear to be a company that can't retain qualified staff.

To hilp your company fill the pipeline with a diverse group of workers. consider the following:

. Be hands on

In order to recruit people and make your business a destination where people want to work. you need to be hands on. For example. on a national level your company may sponsor an event put on by an organization such as The Urban League. In addition to the national organization' there are Urban League branches throughout the country' If you don't have a presence in that organization at the local ievel, then that national sponsorship won't help you attract the talent you need. While your company is still sponsoring a great event and/or organization. you're not fully leveraging that sponsorshiP.

-Thereiore. look in your local community and see what minority organizations have a presence. Do more than just write a-cheik to the group-get involved. Sit on the board of directors. participate in fundraisers or events. speak to the group on some relevant topic. etc- To establish your .ornluny as an employer of choice within that demographic. you must build trust by consistently demonstrating your commitment to diversitY.

. Fish where the fish are

Rather than place an employment ad in the Sunday newspaper. consider advertising your job openings with professional -qroups. such as the National Black MBA Association or the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. In fact. if you look online. you'll find links to miiority associations for just about every industry. including heaithcare. financial. law. etc. Also. consider recruiting at historically black colleges and universities or in areas that are dense with certain minority populations' Go into neighboring communities where there may be a large minority population and ask the local Chamber of Commerce for assistance. Find out how you can get involved with the local community and share the opportunities your company has for minorities. Look for connectors within the community who can help spread the word on your behalf. As is often the case, word-of-mouth advertising is the best way to attract what you want.

. Encourage development Research has proven that people who have mentors and have strons professional networks u." rno." ,u"I cessful, make more money, and are more loyal to their firms. For companies to successfully hire and retiin diverse workers, managers must encourage mentoring and professional development.

Mentoring often provides the oneon-one informal coaching and access minorities need to progress through the organization. Additionally, professional development helps people attain confidence and leverage themselves in the marketplace. They can differentiate themselves from their competitors and peers when it is time for promotion and advancement.

Think small

Many companies today fail to keep the diverse employees they hire because they don't think small. That is, they are not thinking of the small, subtle forms of exclusion that occur in offices today that over time create dis- sension and disengagement. This subtle form of discrimination today is termed "micro-inequities," and can include small things such as leaving a diverse person off of a distribution list or not including them on projects or voicemails. These are small oversishts that. over time, tell the dive-rse employee he or she is not valued.

However, just as there are small oversights that occur, there are small steps you can take to ensure you don,t exclude anyone. For example, simply having empathy for the employee, including him or her on projects, and regularly touching base with everyone in your office regardless of their background sends a message that you're compassionate, engaged, and interested in everyone.

Diversity Sells!

In the future, when the current minority groups become the majority, how will your company be positioned? Will you have the necessary staff who can relate to and sell to the desired demographic? While the shift from minority to majority may seem years away, you need to start planning your company's marketing and staffing requirements now. After all, the sooner you start catering to these key demographics, the more time you'll have to build customer loyalty, which will position you as tomorrow's market leader.

- Phil Wilkins is the author of Own Your Business, Own Your Lifet and c.e.o. of sale s training/diversity consultant Diverse Wealth Systems. Reach him at phil@philwilkins.com or (888) 663-6254.

NEW DESIGN, resembling a massive tool box, highlights Do it Best brands as well as two worthy causes that the co{p supports'

New Truck Design Hits The Road

Do it Best's new fleet-truck design. unveiled at its October market. serves as a mobile billboard for what's new at the co-oP.

"The new disign calls attention to our retail brands and helps us stand out given all the messages competing for the attention of today;s consumer." said Bill Zielke. v'p' of marketing and international development' "It's an eyecatching ind clever way to reinforce who we are and what our members' stores offer to consumers."

Two of Do it Best's corporate causes are also highlighted on the trucks: Habitat for Humanity and Big Brothers/Big Sisters. According to Zielke. the goal was to help spread the word about these worthy organizations and promote their association with Do it Best.

"We're proud to support Habitat and Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and- *e take every opportunity to help them share their stories." he said. "Puning their names on our trucks will remind consumers nationwide of the important work done by these organizations-"

More than 20 trucks in the DIB fleet have been converted to the new design. An additional 157 redesigned trucks will be added in 2007. said John Snider. v-p. of retail logistics. but some trucks with the old design will remain on the road during the next few Years.

"We're fortunate that our old 'open tailgate' truck design was very popular, but many of the products it featured are now ouidated." he said. "We'd love to switch all of our trucks over today. but in being good stewards of our member-owners' dollars. we're timing our redesign efforts to coincide with the renewal of leases."

Western Association News

(Continued from Page 221

Indian Wells. Ca. (See photos on pages 54-55.)

During the event. Rick Roberts. Sunnyvale Lumber' Fremont, Ca.. was installed as president. Eric Ziedrich' Healdsburg Lumber Co.. Healdsburg. Ca'. is lst v'p'; James Cedirholm. Crenshaw Lumber. Gardena, Ca',Znd v.p.; Butch Gunter. Elk Corp.. Martinez, Ca', associates v.p., and Milton Johnson. Stock Building Supply' San Bernardino. Ca.. treasurer.

New directors are Laurie Mark. The Mill Yard' Arcata' Ca.: Steve Fleiner. Reno Lumber. Reno. Ca'' and John Neel. Reliable Wholesale Lumber' Huntington Beach. Ca'

New to the associates council are chair Jeff Howard'

Capital Lumber, Healdsburg, Ca.; vice chair Bob Maurer, Swanson Group, Glendale, Or., and events coordinator Kevin Turner, TimberTech. Lincoln. Ca.

New officers of the association's Political Action Committee are legislative committee chair Steve Patterson, Central Valley Builders Supply, St. Helena, Ca., and insurance committee chair Lynn Strang, Payless Building Supply, Chico, Ca.

Heading the 2nd Growth 40-andunder group are president Grant Pearsall, Capital Lumber; v.p. Chris Parker, Barr Lumber Co., and secretary Banett Burt, Ganahl Lumber Co.

Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association installed new officers and directors at its annual conference in Breckenridge, Co.

New president is Bill Miller, Alpine Lumber Co., Denver Co.; president-elect Max Guetz, Home Lumber, Littleton, Co.; treasurer Bryan Hutchinson, Hutchinson Lumber, Pine, Co.; secretary Dena Cordova, Foxworth-Galbraith Lumber Co., Colorado Springs, Co.; national director Scott Yates, Denver Lumber, Denver; Arizona director Walter Foxworth, Foxworth-Galbraith, Dallas. Tx.: Idaho director. Steve Ker.

Max Ker & Son Lumber, Idaho Falls, Id.; New Mexico director Paula Ervin, Randall Lumber & Hardware, Taos, N.M.; Utah director Dennis Gardner, Butterfield Lumber, Midvalle, Ut., and Wyoming director Scott Good, Greybull Building Center, Greybull, Wy.

New associate directors are Craig Pequette, Bluelinx Corp., Englewood, Co., and Keith Simpson, RAM Specialties Inc., Henderson, Co. Scott Yates, Denver Lumber, was named Industry All-Star for his contributions to the association and the industry. Tom Hoffman, Boise Building Materials Distribution, received a special award to recognize his years of industry leadership and support of the association.

Three member companies were recognized for outstanding achievement in safety for 2006: Big John's Building & Home Center, Glenwood Springs, Co.; Chase Lumber Co., Aurora. Co.. and Colorado Forest Industries, Denver.

Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman's Club has slated its annual pool tournament for Feb. 8 at Danny K's in Orange, Ca.

APA-The Engineered Wood Association vice chairman Harold

Stanton will retire early next year from APA and as v.p.-specialty products and sales at LP, Nashville, Tn. Tom Temple, v.p.-sales and marketing, Canfor Corp., Vancouver, B.C., was elected to succeed him as vice chairman of the association. Jeff Wagner, v.p.-OSB, LP, will assume Stanton's trustee position on the board.

During APA's recent annual meeting, TrusJoist founder Harold Thomas was presented the Bronson J. Lewis Award.

Mill safety awards were given to 16 EWP mills representing eight companies-Georgia-Pacific Corp. (eight awards), Weyerhaeuser Co. (three), Louisiana-Pacific Corp. (two), Hood Industries, International Paper, Anthony Forest Products, Boise Cascade, and PlyVeneer Products.

Window & Door Manufacturers Association will hold its 80th annual meeting Feb.24-28 at the Fairmont Orchid Resort on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Tom Kaiser, president of Cardinal IG Co., Eden Prairie, Mn., was confirmed to the board of directors during the association's recent fall meeting and conference in Las Vegas, Nv.