building products digest - march 2010

THE GREEN ISSUE CHANGES IN CERTIFIED WOOD CYPRESS, CEDAR & REDWOOD MARCH 2010

INDUSTRY NEWS & MONEY-MAKING STRATEGIES FOR LUMBER & BUILDING MATERIAL DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORS

BPD BuildingProducts Digest

4 Building Products Digest March 2010 Building-Products.com

BPD BuildingProducts Digest March 2010

Volume 29 Number 1

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Special Features9 FEATURE STORY

COMING CHANGES IN CERTIFICATION

10 FEATURE STORYREDWOOD FOR GREEN CONSUMERS

11 FEATURE STORYDEALERS & CUSTOMERS WIN WITH

NEW REDWOOD DECK CONTEST

12 COMPANY FOCUSTHE CALIFORNIA REDWOOD COMPANY

13 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTCYPRESS INTO GREEN REMODELS

14 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTCEDAR LIVES THE GREEN LIFE

15 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTEXPOSING HIDDEN DECK FASTENERS

28 FIRST PERSONOLD-TIMER LOOKS BACK AT HIS EARLY

DAYS IN THE LUMBER BUSINESS

30 MANAGEMENT TIPSCLEAR POLICIES PLEASE CUSTOMERS

38 PHOTO RECAPNRLA’S LBM EXPO IN BOSTON

40 PHOTO RECAPSBMA BUYING SHOW IN HIGH POINT

In Every Issue6 TOTALLY RANDOM

16 COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE

18 OLSEN ON SALES

20 GREEN RETAILING

25 IN MEMORIAM

26 MOVERS & SHAKERS

32 FAMILY BUSINESS

34 NEW PRODUCTS

43 ASSOCIATION UPDATE

44 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE

45 DATE BOOK

46 IDEA FILE

46 ADVERTISERS INDEX

BUILDING PRODUCTS DIGEST is published monthly at 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, NewportBeach, Ca. 92660-1872, (949) 852-1990, Fax 949-852-0231, www.buildingproducts.com, byCutler Publishing, Inc. (a California Corporation). It is an independently owned publicationfor building products retailers and wholesale distributors in 37 states East of the Rockies.Copyright®2010 by Cutler Publishing, Inc. Cover and entire contents are fully protectedand must not be reproduced in any manner without written permission. All RightsReserved. BPD reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter,and assumes no liability for materials furnished to it.

TOTALLY Random By Alan Oakes

www.building-products.comA publication of Cutler Publishing

4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, CA 92660

Publisher Alan [email protected]

Publisher Emeritus David CutlerEditor David Koenig

[email protected] Editor Karen [email protected]

Contributing EditorsCarla Waldemar, James Olsen, Jay TomptAdvertising Sales Manager Chuck Casey

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Marie Oakes [email protected] Manager Heather Kelly

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How to AdvertiseSOUTH, MIDWEST & WEST Chuck CaseyPhone (949) 852-1990 Fax 949-852-0231

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ONLINE Alan Oakeswww.building-products.com

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BPDBuilding Products Digest


Help Wanted? We’re here to help.AMONG THE MOST UPSETTING CALLS I receive are those from people who have been let go

from their jobs in the industry. In many cases, they have become good friends, and Iknow they were dedicated to their jobs and the companies they served. Of course, I alwaystry to steer them to companies I know might be hiring—but, of late, that’s been an increas-ingly short list.

If you have been let go from your job, in most cases it is not easy to deal with—for youor your family. With our industry in depression and a no-hiring mode in place, the wait toget a new job can be excruciatingly long and painful. And when that happens, it can gofrom bad to worse with not being able to meet debts, going into default with mortgagelenders, etc.

Over a long career it is inevitable you will lose your job at some time. But unlike a fewyears back when you could change jobs like you changed socks, today few find themselvesin a new job the following week. It used to be said that you needed one month of job searchfor every $10,000 you earned. The official average wait for a new job is now 211 days.And when you get to that sixth or seventh month, you really start to doubt yourself andmay be tempted to just give up.

If you are looking for a new job, your first task should be to take stock of what youhave done in your career and determine what your skills are. Understand your talents,strengths and weaknesses to help you determine and re-evaluate what you really want to donext. It is an ideal time to decide if you would like to try your hand at something complete-ly new, such as creating or buying a business and running it yourself.

That’s what I did 10 years ago. I decided I no longer wanted to be working for someoneelse, so I quit my high-paying job. At first, I thought I would be happier swimming onSiesta Key in Florida, then realized that I needed to be doing something different torecharge my worn-down batteries. The decision I made then was the best I have evermade—and one of the riskiest, so be forewarned. It’s not for everyone. But now is a greattime to re-assess what you want to do or what would make you happy. Rarely in life arewe allowed to do what we do best, but having no paycheck may give us the courage to startafresh. Make a list of all the things you enjoy doing, and ask yourself if there are otheroptions. You do not have to stay in one industry all your life, but you need to be honestabout what you are good at. Receiving feedback from those around might be more tellingof your strengths and weaknesses, provided you can handle the truth.

My searches were lonely times. Friends I thought I could count on often disappeared.So find one or two people in the same situation as you, someone who knows exactly whatyou are going through, someone you can bounce ideas off of. Someone who in their ownsearch might see some opportunities for you, but who also can feel the joys and sorrows ofan often difficult and demoralizing process.

Lastly, create new network opportunities. In looking back, most of my c.e.o. jobs result-ed from people who worked with or competed with me. But while good networks can openup new opportunities, they can grow stale after a few months of unemployment. So takethe opportunity to not only reach out to people you have met in the past, but go the extramile to meet new people, whether it be joining an association, attending seminars, joining ahealth club, etc. I find myself talking to lots of people when I am out and about, and younever know when such acquaintances might become useful.

I wish those without a job much success in their search,and I urge anyone in a job to give help and advice whereverpossible. You never know when you may need that samehelp, and usually what goes around, comes around.

I would like to make an offer to the thousands of com-panies who read our publications. We want to help. If yourcompany has jobs available, we will give you up to a$50 credit for a Help Wanted ad in next month’sApril issue, which is one of our most-readissues of the year. Ads up to 40 words areabsolutely free. Send us your text for BPD byMarch 20. Fax 949-852-0231 or [email protected]. There area lot of good people looking for a newopportunity. Together, let’s try to get themback to work as soon as possible.

Alan Oakes, Publisher [email protected]

HERE’S SOME GOOD NEWS for deal-ers that supply green-building

pros: After three years of study, theU.S. Green Building Council is closeto changing how it awards LEEDcredits for certified wood.

Since its start in 2001, the LEEDGreen Building Program has awardedpoints for the use of environmentallyresponsible wood products—as longas they were certified by the ForestStewardship Council. Many ques-tioned USGBC’s decision, especiallywhen the limited supply of FSC-certi-fied wood made it more difficult toearn credits for using wood.

USGBC began the process of re-examining its wood certification sys-tem by soliciting opinions from itsstakeholders, commissioning a studyby Yale’s Program on Forest Policyand Governance, and talking to theexperts at Sylvatica, a life-cycleassessment consulting firm andresearch group with offices in the U.S.and Canada.

According to USGBC officials, thefocus of the proposed credit changes istransparency. Additional wood certifi-cation programs would be evaluatedaccording to a measurable benchmarkthat includes:

• Governance• Technical/standards substance• Accreditation and auditing• Chain of custody and labelingAfter “a thorough and objective

analysis,” programs judged compliantwith the benchmark would be recog-nized by LEED. Programs that don’tmake the cut would have whatUSGBC officials call “a clear andtransparent understanding of whatmodifications are necessary to receiverecognition under LEED.”

Two of the largest certificationgroups in North America—AmericanTree Farm System (ATFS) and

Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)—recently adopted revised standards oftheir own. Members of both groupswill have one year to make sure theirwoodlands measure up.

“Although our certification pro-gram is the oldest in America, operat-ing since 1941, we are constantlyworking to improve our standards tomake them fit new conservationforestry practices and consumerexpectations,” said Bob Simpson,senior v.p. for forestry programs at theAmerican Forest Foundation, whichruns ATFS. “The changes go furtherin protecting woodlands of high con-servation value, and they streamlinethe process for woodland owners.”

Wood products derived from the 24million acres certified by theArlington, Va.-based group are dis-tributed throughout the world withlabels from SFI and the Programmefor Endorsement of ForestCertification Schemes (PEFC).

Headquartered in Arlington, Va.,SFI was founded by the AmericanForest & Paper Association in 1995—the same year FSC opened an office inWashington, D.C. However, SFIbecame an independent nonprofit in2007. The association has now certi-fied more than 170 million acresacross North America.

According to Kathy Abusow, thegroup’s president and c.e.o., SFI’snew standard “was enriched by theviews and expertise of many people,and offers a solid foundation as webuild new partnerships and look formore ways to promote sustainable for-est practices” (see sidebar).

FSC was created in 1993, to“change the dialogue about and thepractice of sustainable forestry world-wide” by developing and enforcing“principles, criteria, and standards thatspan economic, social, and environ-

mental concerns.” Although it is basedin Bonn, Germany, the internationalorganization has offices in more than46 countries and is endorsed by suchmajor groups as the U.S. GreenBuilding Council and the RainforestAlliance.

As the interest in green buildingcontinues to grow—even in a downeconomy—so will the demand for cer-tified wood. Making it easier to earnLEED points for certified wood willbenefit everyone.

LEED changes open upmarket for green products

INDUSTRY Trends Certified Wood Products

SFI Standard Gets StricterFollowing an extensive 18-month

review, Sustainable Forestry Initiativehas released a new, more comprehen-sive standard for the next five years.

The SFI 2010-2014 Standard has20 objectives, 39 performance mea-sures, and 114 indicators—up from 13objectives, 34 performance measures,and 102 indicators.To be certified, for-est operations must be third-partyaudited to meet all requirements byindependent, objective and accreditedcertification bodies.

Changes, which went into effectJan. 1, include:

• Improve conservation of biodiver-sity in North America and offshore, andaddress emerging issues such as cli-mate change and bioenergy.

• Strengthen unique SFI fiber sourc-ing requirements, which broaden thepractice of sustainable forestry in NorthAmerica and avoid unwanted offshoresources.

• Complement SFI activities aimedat avoiding controversial or illegal off-shore fiber sources, and embraceLacey Act amendments to prevent ille-gal logging.

• Expand requirements for loggertraining and support for trained loggersand certified logger programs.


FEATURE Story

CONSUMERS LOOKING TO “buygreen” often need a little help

sorting through hype in efforts to trulylower their carbon footprint.Increasingly, retailers are becomingthe source of answers.

“Customers want to go green butdon’t always know what that means,”says Clyde Jennings, president ofJ&W Lumber, Escondido, Ca. “We’veestablished relationships with cus-

tomers so they trust us, and we’ve putourselves in the position to providedetailed information so customers canfeel good about the products they’rebuying.”

When it comes to selling redwooddecking, a little education can go along way.

“Many consumers are surprised tofind that building with redwood isentirely consistent with green living,”

says Bob Mion, marketing director forthe California Redwood Association.“But once they learn about the unsur-passed environmental standards inredwood forests and how redwoodproducts can help reduce greenhousegas emissions, the green attributes addto the redwood experience and con-sumers come away happier than everabout choosing redwood.”

Redwood’s green benefits are asnatural as the wood itself. Trees, bytheir nature, are a renewable resource.Plus, as they grow, trees absorb thegreenhouse gas carbon dioxide fromthe air through photosynthesis. Treesrelease oxygen and store the carbon inwood fibers that ultimately becomedecking and fencing materials.

While there is in-depth science thatdetails multiple levels of redwood’sgreen performance, many retailershave found that customers respond toa relatively simple one-two punch ofarguments.

“The renewable-resource aspect ofthe green story is important,” saysJennings. “We hear so much aboutsaving trees that consumers tend toforget that redwood lumber comesfrom sustainably managed forests.Knowing redwood forests are beingconserved, with old trees preservedand harvested lands replanted, helpsconsumers connect with the redwoodmystique. The redwood in their back-yard is part of the natural cycle thatgoes back thousands of years and willendure thousands more.”

While California boasts the tough-est environmental regulations in theworld and all redwood products comefrom California, most redwood pro-REDWOOD’S GREEN “CRED” should be one of its most effective sales points.

Redwood resonates withgreen consumers

Education turns “obstacle” into asset

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Building-Products.com March 2010 Building Products Digest 11

ducers have taken the additional stepof independently certifying theirforestlands. Nearly 90% of lumber-producing redwood forests are certi-fied to be well-managed and sustain-able under the world’s two largestindependent certification programs,the Forest Stewardship Council andSustainable Forestry Initiative.

“Renewability and sustainabilityare easy to demonstrate,” says Mion.“The redwood region has done moreto advance sustainable forestry thanany other region of the world.”

The second critical aspect to under-standing redwood’s green value cen-ters on greenhouse gas emissions.Efforts are underway across the globeto reduce greenhouse gas emissions,with carbon being the gas in the spot-light, and using redwood is a naturalchoice for combating climate change.

“There’s a serious push to reducecarbon emissions,” says Mion. “Whenpeople talk about reducing their car-bon footprint, they’re talking abouthow much carbon it takes to produce,ship and use a product over the courseof its life. Science has shown thatsince the energy to produce redwoodcomes from the sun, not burning fossilfuels, and because redwood lumber isabout 50% carbon by weight, usingredwood can actually reduce carbonemissions.”

Redwood’s emission-reducingadvantages can be more difficult toarticulate, but can carry significantweight with consumers. Redwood’sfull carbon benefit comes from a com-bination of rapid growth, harvest andreplanting efficiency, and energy con-sumption. Rather than engage in an in-depth discussion of the carbon cycle,however, many retailers prefer to offershorter explanations that focus on bot-tom-line impacts.

“The typical redwood deck storesmore than a half-ton of carbon and itlooks great doing it,” says Jennings.“If customers are truly interested inreducing their carbon footprint, build-ing a redwood deck can give them acarbon footprint they can stand on.”

The CRA understands the impor-tance of selling green and is changingtheir website accordingly. “The better-equipped retailers are to tell red-wood’s green story, the better theywill be able to ride green momentumto higher redwood sales,” Mion says.“We are enhancing our website tobecome a better resource to retailersand consumers on green buildingissues.”

EXPAND redwood sales beyond decks to include complementary benches, planters, chairsand swings by tying into the CRA’s new contest.

Win with Redwood: Contest rewards dealers, d-i-yersThe California Redwood Asso-

ciation will give away a free picnictable to the do-it-yourselfer whobuilds the finest redwood chair,swing or planter, and present$1,000 to the lumber retailer whosells the winning redwood. Thewinner’s creation also will be fea-tured on the CRA website.

“We want retailers to know thatwe are enhancing our site to helpmake their customers successfulwith redwood,” says Bob Mion,marketing director for the CRA.“We have these wonderful projectplans that make it easy to buildbeautiful, long-lasting redwood fur-niture, decks and shade structures.The plans are free to retailers, anddisplaying them in-store can giveconsumers the confidence tochoose redwood for upcoming out-door enhancement projects.”

The CRA has 14 different pro-ject plans available for in-store dis-play or free download from itswebsite and is building its how-tovideo library. The project plans

include precise measurements,step-by-step instructions, and illus-trations demonstrating key steps inthe construction process. The web-site also includes tips for refinish-ing and restoring redwood decks,fences and furniture. To order freeproject plans to display in yourstore, email [email protected].

D-i-yers can enter photos oftheir Adirondack chair, Adirondackswing or Petaluma planters online.The contest winner will receive anew picnic table to add to their red-wood furniture collection, while theretailer that supplied the wood willreceive a $1,000 bonus.

The CRA has made flyers pro-moting the contest available toretailers from www.calredwood.org. All entries must be submittedonline at the site. Questions regard-ing the promotion can be directedto [email protected] or BobMion at (916) 444-6592.

Dealers Can Win $1,000!


THE CALIFORNIA REDWOOD Com-pany has invested in technology

upgrades throughout its mill and is re-inventing itself with innovative newproduct lines and in-depth supply-channel support. On March 1, the his-tory-rich lumber producer unveiled anew logo and details of its aggressivemarketing initiative.

“These investments are aimeddirectly at bringing higher-quality red-wood products to consumers andunprecedented services to our partnersin the supply chain,” says CarlSchoenhofer, v.p. and general manag-

Redwood companyrebuilds, rebrands

er for The California RedwoodCompany, Eureka, Ca. “We’re build-ing on 120 years of family ownership,forest stewardship, and innovation tobring consumers green products andnew ways to enjoy the affordable lux-ury of redwood.”

The company’s new product linesinclude 2-inch and 5/4-inch deckingoptions available in styles designed toaccommodate consumer preferences.The California Series, a quality-enhanced version of the CaliforniaRedwood Collection, includes tradi-tional 2x4 to 2x12 decking and 4x4and 4x6 post options. The HeritageCollection, a super-premium line,includes surface treatments that shedwater more effectively and tightenedradial edges for a cleaner appearance.

Both product lines accept hiddenfastener systems and are availablewith limited knots as well as uniform-color or blended-tones looks. Nameswithin the lines have been changed toalign with aesthetic traits and woodstyles popular with consumers.

“We’ve rebuilt the planer and madechanges throughout the mill toimprove consistency and give eachboard a clean, high-quality finish,”says Chris Brown, sales and marketingmanager for The California RedwoodCompany. “We’ve raised quality stan-dards 20%, and consumers will see thedifference. We’re launching a newmarketing effort to go with the higher-quality product offerings, so our part-ners in the retail chain will see a dif-ference, too. We’re taking supplychain relationships to another levelwith programs we intend to grow.”

The company is working with aselect distribution chain to promoteThe California Redwood Companybrand at all consumer touch points.

CONSUMERS have ready access to redwoodpromotional materials thanks to CRC’s new 5-ft.-high Redwood Information Center.

RICH NEW LOGO is just one component of abroad marketing initiative.

COMPANY Focus The California Redwood Company

The new channel-support programincludes in-store interactive kiosks,full-scale merchandising opportuni-ties, on-site training, mini-sampledecks for display, and contractor-referral services. The company’s web-site (www.californiaredwoodco.com)has also changed dramatically to sup-port the campaign.

“We like the changes The Califor-nia Redwood Company has made andthe decking products we’re now ableto offer our customers,” says ChrisFreeman, specialty forest productsmanager, Ganahl Lumber, Anaheim,Ca. “Specialty-milled redwood prod-ucts have an undeniable appeal to peo-ple who want to combine elegant out-door living with a commitment togoing green. These are beautiful, nat-ural products that provide great value,backed by a company demonstratingits commitment to sustainability andoffering us new levels of support.”

“We’re a re-made company, moretuned-in to our markets and betterpositioned to set the new standard forquality than ever before,” Schoenhofersays. “We’re getting closer to our cus-tomers and distribution partners, andwe’re a better company because of it.”

Building-Products.com

DISTRIBUTORS OF southern cypressmay specialize in a species

known for providing warmth and ele-gance since Biblical times, yet theirlatest sales tool is strictly modern day:highlighting cypress as part of a“green remodel.”

A prime example is the enviro-friendly makeover of a 1970s ranch-style house located adjacent toFlorida’s Ocala National Forest.Named Terra Nova, the 3,000-sq. ft.structure was transformed into anenergy-efficient and ecologicallyfriendly home—with help from theSouthern Cypress ManufacturersAssociation and other sponsors.

“The cypress entranceway gives theproject its ‘wow’ factor,” said Dr.Anna Marie, owner of the home andhost of a syndicated TV show onhealthy living. Both the front and reargables are clad in locally sourcedcypress, due to its durability and nat-ural resistance to rot and decay.

The “Greenovation of Terra Verde”project demonstrates a full range of

Showcase cypressin “green remodels”

PRODUCT Spotlight Southern Cypress

applications such as flooring, mould-ing and millwork, or exterior applica-tions, including siding, fencing, shut-ters, and shingles.

Additional information is includedin SCMA’s latest report: Cypress:American, Sustainable, Carbon-Neutral. “Our goal is to spread theword on one of America’s most beau-tiful and sustainable resources,” saidNancy Tuck, SCMA’s president andv.p. of finance at Gates CustomMilling, Gatesville, N.C.

“We read headlines regarding car-bon dioxide and other greenhousegases contributing to global climatechange, and others concerning sustain-ability issues with wood,” she said.“This report provides architects andhomeowners with information aboutcypress’ durability and versatility thatthey may not know.”

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GREEN RENOVATION shows off cypress gables and other enviro-friendly building products.

CYPRESS GABLES bring long-lasting beautyand superior durability to recent green remodel.

green building products and technolo-gies that are readily available andaffordable for remodeling an existinghouse. More details are available atwww.terraverdetv.com.

“The goal of this renovation is toeducate homeowners that you don’thave to build a brand new home inorder for it to be green,” said Dr. AnnaMarie. “From updating the bathroomand kitchen, to new paint, updated fix-tures, and landscaping, we show howand why it should be done.”

Besides providing long-lastingbeauty, cypress can also help reduce aproject’s carbon footprint. Like allwoods, cypress naturally sequesterscarbon throughout its lifetime. In addi-tion, cypress has a naturally occurringpreservative that protects the woodfrom insects, decay, and other naturalthreats. It’s an ideal choice for interior

BUILDERS, AT THE URGING of architects and consumers,are demanding materials that stand up to construction

and environmental scrutiny. They want materials with agreen reputation as solid as wood is durable.

Turns out wood meets both criteria. Wood products,desired for their beauty and durability yet sometimes dis-missed as a green choice, are also the most environmentallyfriendly.

A recent life cycle assessment (LCA) comparing west-ern red cedar to non-wood decking and siding alternativesfound that natural wood creates lower greenhouse gas emis-sions and allows for recycling and energy recovery oppor-tunities that cut methane gas emissions in landfills.

“As green building regulations become the standard in

building, consumers who previously favored more ‘mainte-nance-free’ materials as their siding and decking productsof choice will need to consider alternatives such as westernred cedar to help lessen their environmental footprint,” saidgreen consultant John Wagner.

Although green qualities have not yet become the decid-ing factor, environmental impact matters more and more.Consumers want to live beautifully, but are also weighingenvironmental sensitivity alongside durability and beauty inthe building materials they choose.

Options that combine all three qualities provide the mostvalue to consumers—as well as to architects, who are try-ing to balance sometimes competing interests, and builders,who are concerned about product performance.

However, getting the whole picture about a product’senvironmental impact and figuring out which are the mostenvironmentally friendly can be challenging. Comparisonsare often based on limited information or only a narrow setof criteria.

Truly sustainable building efforts consider a product’smanufacturing-to-disposal environmental footprint. Carefullife cycle examination provides a fuller environmentalappraisal.

A recent LCA by FPInnovations-Forintek, Canada’sleading forestry research laboratory, took a cradle-to-gravelook at environmental impacts of various building materi-als. It compared residential decking and siding applicationssuch as composite decking, brick, fiber cement, vinyl andwestern red cedar. Complex analysis considered such fac-tors as resource use, water use, energy use, transportationand waste created.

Cedar substantially outperformed in every decking cate-gory and fared best overall as a siding choice. The assess-ment ranked western red cedar as the “most sustainablebuilding material.”

Alternative building materials, often lauded for durabili-ty, create more environmental life-cycle burden than wood,according to a third-party study commissioned by theWestern Red Cedar Lumber Association. As an example, awestern red cedar deck could be built twice—or more—over its service life and still outperform composite deckingalternatives.

“Knowing that the LCA proved alternative buildingmaterials create more environmental burden and consumemore non-renewable fossil fuel during their life cycleshelps me feel confident in recommending western red cedaras the most sustainable building tool for my clients andconsumers everywhere,” Wagner said.

WESTERN RED CEDAR siding performed best when compared againstnon-wood alternatives like vinyl, fiber cement, and brick in a third-party,cradle-to-grave assessment of environmental impact.

Cedar lives the green life

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THE TREMENDOUS GROWTH of pre-mium decking materials during

the last decade powered a similar risein the use of hidden deck fasteners. Ifbuilders and homeowners are going topay extra for high-end hardwood,PVC or composite boards, they wanttheir decks to look and perform theirbest, free from fasteners that mightcorrode or allow moisture penetration.

Yet the market for hidden deckfasteners is still on the upswing. Newand upgraded products are constantlyintroduced.

More MaterialsAmong the latest is the Extreme4

“all-in-one” deck fastener from IpeClip Fastener Co. The connector issaid to require less labor and fewerfasteners, and can be used in bothcovered and outdoor applications,enhancing the performance of air-

Out of the shadowsMore hidden deck fasteners surface

dried and kiln-dried hardwoods, plusPVC and composite decking.

“We’ve designed the Extreme4 towork seamlessly with every kind ofdecking,” said Daniel Schiefer, inter-national sales manager. “We had cus-tomers call us asking to create a prod-uct that they could use for any kind ofapplication. When we sent samples todeck builders, we received so manypositive comments that we knew wehad created a unique product withuniversal appeal.”

Virtually unbreakable, the fasteneroffers maximum resistance to corro-sion, tighter gap spacing, and does notrequire expensive and heavy equip-ment to install.

More SolutionsMost composite decking manufac-

turers now market companion fasten-ing systems with their own decking.On the heels of Fiberon and Trexintroducing new hidden deck fasten-ers (see Feb., p. 10-11), fellow com-posite producer TimberTech hasexpanded its CONCEALoc hidden fas-tening system to include the L-brack-ets, router bits, replacement screws,and gun pail.

The stainless steel CONCEALoc L-Bracket is a multi-functional securingtool that eliminates unsightly facescrews on starter boards and doublesas a butt-seam clip to prevent the needfor sister joists.

The CONCEALoc Router Bit per-mits hidden fastening on non-groovedplanks.

To save installers from buyingextra screws in bulk, TimberTech

TIMBERTECH’S has expanded its CONCEALochidden deck fastener line to include L-brack-ets, router bit, replacement screws, and gunpail.

now offers a retail bag containing anadditional driver bit and 50 stainlesssteel screws for use with CONCEALoc.

And, CONCEALoc Gun Pail offersenough clips and screws to cover 500sq. ft.

More AccessoriesDeck fastener pioneer Tiger Claw

is unveiling two new tools forinstalling hidden deck fasteners—theTiger Claw Semi-Automatic HiddenDeck Fastener Installation Gun forTrex and the Tiger Jaw tool, designedto eliminate the need for a sledgehammer and muscle power wheninstalling hidden deck fasteners andsurface boards.

PRODUCT Spotlight Hidden Deck Fasteners

WITH ITS SQUARE shape and stainless steelinsert, the Extreme4 from Ipe Clip FastenerCo. fits perfectly into custom-routed biscuitgrooves and pregrooved decking, prolongingthe life of hardwoods, PVC and composites.


IN OWEGO, A TINY TOWN in upstateNew York, county building permits

plummeted to 20 last year. This year,they’ve shriveled down to three asLockheed, the biggest employer, laidoff 700 high-ticket workers. YetHome Central, a family business since1973, proceeded to plow a huge chunkof change into a vast renovation pro-ject.

Wait, wait. Cancel the call to theloony bin: It’s working. That’s theverdict of owner Aaron Gowan, whoadmits he wasn’t 100% convinced thiswas a good idea. “Yet, after 35 yearsin the business, and 15 in our currentlocation, it was time,” he allows. Butstill….

“I was kind of ready to hold back,but I remembered my [founder] dad’sphilosophy that evolution is necessary,and you do it during down times,when you’re not super-busy. This wasthe time to move forward, to be readyfor the rebound,” Aaron states.

His daughter Kate Whittemore,who returned after college to join the

Time to renewbusiness in 2004, curtailed a maternityleave to mother the new project. “Ipushed and prodded to go ahead,” shedeclares.

“We designed it to attract morewomen”—the decision-makers in thisday and age—“so, with the help ofTrue Value’s plans, we created a newexterior, opened up the floor to makefor more convenient and efficientshopping, added new lighting and dis-plays, and re-evaluated all our SKUs,”adding breadth to existing lines whileclearing out the dogs. (This projectfollows close on the heels of a new,20,000-sq. ft. warehouse built on theproperty in 2005, replacing an existingwarehouse clear across town. Again,more efficiencies.)

“We’d always been very big onplumbing and electric,” says Kate.Now, those arenas are even stronger,augmented by an expansion of the for-mer kitchen & bath showroom toaccommodate home appliances. “Amom-and-pop store in town went outof business, so we talked around and

decided there was a need,” sheexplains.

The new product niche also playsinto existing strong lines of house-wares, hardware, tools, paint, automo-tive needs, decking, roofing, and lawnand garden supplies, along with allthat lumber under cover in the newwarehouse. (In fact, it’s easier to askwhat they don’t sell—so I did.Flooring and wallpaper were all thatsprang to mind.)

Clearly, Home Central earns itsname as the go-to for one-stop home-improvement shopping, where itattracts a 50-50 customer mix of con-tractors, both residential and commer-cial, and handy homeowners—thevery group driving the surge in remod-eling that’s currently keeping bread onthe table.

D-i-yers got the message about therecent grand reopening via radio andTV advance notices, plus on-the-spotcoverage on ribbon-cutting day, whichalso benefited the town’s nonprofitcommunity. Little Leaguers kept thereceipts from hot dog and hamburgersales, and the kids also sold gallonbuckets, donated by Home Central, for$1 to customers who were offered a20% discount on all purchases theycould squeeze into them, as well aschances to win the Weber grill andPoulin mower that served as door-prize draws.

“Once they come in, it’s easy to getthem to come back,” says Aaron aboutcustomer retention. “They becomevery loyal. They like the personaltouch; they know all the employees,many of whom have been here 20-plusyears and have a rapport with the com-munity. People feel comfortable here,knowing who’s waiting on them, andyou won’t find that in the boxes.”

What you won’t find at HomeCentral is outside salesmen. “We’venever believed in it: no pounding ondoors, chasing people down,” he says.“Instead, more than anything else,what draws the pros in is service:knowing we can take care of them,treat them with respect, have a productwhen they need it, and get it deliveredfast”— courtesy of a dump truck forresidential driveways and a boomtruck for the contractors who need it.

“They don’t have to worry whetherwe have a 10x24,” Aaron continues.“They can find it here, plus all thosesmall electrical parts or a paint brush.And that’s how we draw new busi-ness, too. The fact is, we have materi-als, while somebody else is out. Even

COMPETITIVE Intelligence By Carla Waldemar


Lowe’s sends customers over….”Sure, Home Central offers the traditional contractor din-

ners during the course of a year, but with a difference:These folks vet the vendors involved. “Not just anyone,”Aaron emphasizes. “We’re kind of selective.”

“We recently had a Weyerhaeuser rep describing truss I-joists, LVLs,” adds Kate. “Small contractors are not alwaysaware of lots of the new technology out there and won’tneed it every day, but when the time comes, now they’llunderstand it.”

Home Central today is central to the family business of35 employees, with stores acquired earlier in Vestal, 12miles down the road, and Candor, a rural community eightmiles distant. Trucks troll between all three locations on adaily basis, helping each store out with inventory needs andjust-in-time delivery—always a savings, but particularly soin a stressful economic climate. “Thenew renovation also is helping usthrough it,” Kate attests. “We’repleased with the results.”

She’s also the webmeister whoupdates Home Central’s Internetpresence (www.homecentralowego.com), which includes not only infoon services, locations, vendorpartners, and company history,but a couple of cool videos.The Internet is also a boon for

RIBBON CUTTING marked New York business’ grand reopening. On hand were (left to right)founder’s widow Bayonne Gowan, co-owner/treasurer Kate Whittemore holding future lumberman WillWhittemore, general manager Ray Reeves, owner/president Aaron Gowan, purchasing manager EdSmith, clerks Jess Cady and Ben Reeves, Owego town supervisor Carol Sweeney, and managerJake Reeves.

Carla [email protected]

pro customers who can take advantageof 24/7 access to their accounts.

“It’s a great service for them; theycan get online and look at their invoic-es,” she explains. “Plus, it’s a lot lesspaperwork for us. Sure, they com-plained at first, but we’re movingthem in that direction, and pretty soon,they understand and begin to value it.It’s especially necessary for commer-cial accounts, so we’re encouragingthem to use it.”

“We sell to commercial accounts,like schools, the county, and localindustries,” adds her father, “but wedon’t court them. It takes a whole dif-ferent inventory, like metal studs,which the general builder doesn’tneed. But if we don’t carry things likethat, we don’t get the job.”

And get the job, they do. Therehave been no layoffs—in fact, saysAaron, “we just hired a new guy.” Fullstaff is needed, Kate agrees, “to keepup with the remodel: more help on thefloor, to keep the store neat and notrevert to the old-building mentality,with dust on everything.”

“We know business will get bet-ter,” Aaron declares. “We expectthings to pick up in spring. And,” hecan boast, “we’re ready!”


I WORK WITH SALESPEOPLE EVERY DAY who have bad tapesplaying in their heads. They think they are too pushy (or

too something), so at the moment of truth (really manymoments of truth over and over…) they hold back, or saythey’ll call back, or wait for the call back, or etc. Whilethese salespeople are waiting for the call back, another,bolder salesperson swoops in and takes the business.

How Much Is Too Much?Some customers can be pushed harder than others. Some

customers want to be pushed. Some customers want tonegotiate. Some customers just want to use us for a numberand buy from the other guy. (It sure is funny how theydon’t call us pushy when they want us to help them findsomething or work up a proposal for them.)

I teach that we have to ask for the order five times inclosing situations. Most salespeople don’t even ask once.Setting up the moment of close and when and how to closeare important also, but more important is the will to close.Our timing will improve if we work at it, but nothing aboutclosing will become easier or better if we don’t ask for theorder enough. Five times may seem like a lot to the uniniti-ated, but if we are indeed in a closing situation, five timesis appropriate. How we ask for the order five times is the“art” part of what we do. Our art will become better themore we practice it.

Salespeople Are…I have many of the groups I work with do this exercise.

Split a page into two columns. On the left-hand side writedown all the negatives about salespeople—pushy, liars, talktoo much, etc. When we are done with the negatives—itdoesn’t take long—on the right give a positive connotationto each of words in the negative column. Not the opposite,but a positive connotation. This usually takes longer.

Negative PositivePushy PersistentLiar Creative, visionaryGreedy ProviderTalks too much InformationalSelf-centered Self-reliantWholesaler Supplier, partnerYou’re shorting I’m taking the risk out of the

the market market for you.

“Liar” always causes much discussion. Are we encour-aging salespeople to lie? Absolutely not. But we are askingthem to be creative. If someone hands us a bag of feces, wecan call it fertilizer.

My point is that so many sellers are saying, “Nope,sorry, can’t do that.” Which is the truth, but it’s a lazy truth.They should be saying, “We can’t do it exactly the way youare asking, but our solution has worked for many in yoursituation, let’s put this together.”

More harmful than the prejudiced ideas of our customersare our own prejudices about selling and salespeople.Ninety-nine percent of the salespeople I have known arehard-working, honest people. So many sellers are ashamedof what they do for living. How can we ask for the order ifwe are ashamed? How can we push through tough negotia-tions if we think we are taking advantage? We can’t.

Customers say to me (usually when they’re trying to getme to do something for less), “Oh, James, you’re such asalesman.” I say, “Yes, I am and proud of it.” Or they’ll tellme I am “selling” them when I am merely giving them myopinion. I reply, “If, when I give you my opinion, it’s sell-ing, then when you give me your opinion it’s also selling.We are both selling each other.” Some customers try to getmad, but as they realize it’s true, it changes the negotiation.

Words matter. If we let others define us with their preju-dices, then they control our income. Ifevery time we ask for the order ourcustomer says, “Wow, you sure arepushy” and we back off, we givethat customer a button to control us.If instead we respond, “Bob, I’mnot pushy, I just really believe in thisdeal, and I really believe it willwork for you.”

As leadership sellerswe define ourselvesand then deliver onthat definition.

What’s too pushy?

OLSEN On Sales By James Olsen

James OlsenReality Sales Training

(503) 544-3572james@

reality-salestraining.com


FOR ME, THE ONE PHRASE that bestsums up the ongoing shift in

household economic behavior is this:less is more. For anyone who paysattention to the history of this indus-try, it’s a familiar story that comesabout with every recession. Folks aretackling more projects on their own,so the trades are suffering.

But this time around, the return tod-i-y may be different in some impor-tant ways that just might stick. Thereare many good reasons for dealers topay attention.

Most people I know aren’t simplydoing without: They are discoveringnew ways to create the lifestyle theywant, spending less money, and doingmore themselves. More householdsare growing their own food, takingsteps to “decarbonize” their homes,and generally looking for simpler,healthier “green it yourself” projectsthey can take on inexpensively.

The terms “green it yourself” or

words, doing more with less. Typicalpermaculture projects include inten-sive food gardens, rainwater harvest-ing, greywater systems, passive solar,natural building, and lots of creativere-use of salvaged resources.

There are a growing number ofnonprofit permaculture-based groupsmaking interesting changes in the fab-ric of life, especially in urban neigh-borhoods. Many of these groups aregetting serious funding and are partic-ipating in local retrofit programs.

Becoming knowledgeable aboutthe kinds of projects being undertakenin your area will likely inspire newthinking around merchandise and pro-motion. For example, in areas wheregreywater systems are now legal,stocking non-PVC pipes and fittingsmight be a good idea.

Building close relationships withlocal nonprofit permaculture groupsand practitioners is a good idea, per-haps with some cross promotion thatwill bolster your company’s greenreputation. And if g-i-y and permacul-ture can really help your communitybecome greener and more resilient,you mightfind thatthis newkind of d-i-y is goodfor you,too.

GREEN Retailing By Jay Tompt

Jay TomptManaging Partner, Wm. Verde & Associates

(415) 321-0848 [email protected]

Is G-I-Y the new D-I-Y?

“g-i-y” are catching on, describingeverything from caulking windowswith a solvent-free sealant to riggingyour own greywater system. In someneighborhoods, if you want to keepup with the Joneses, it’s not the sizeand expense of your solar panels, buthow little you spent building yourown wind generator from an alterna-tor salvaged from old Buick, sparebicycle parts, and a plastic milk jug.

The permaculture movement is onthe leading edge of this resurgence ofself-reliance. In short, permaculture isa holistic approach to creating house-hold and community-scale sustain-ability based on modeling andenhancing natural systems. It’s deeplygreen and aimed at creating abun-dance with fewer inputs—in other


DEALER Briefs84 Lumber closed its 6-year-old

store in Franklin, Tn., and placed thesite up for sale.

Half of the roof at 84’s storm-trod-den Charlottesville, Va., yard collapsedunder the weight of accumulated snowFeb. 5. The warehouse was closed atthe time.

Tri Lumber, West Union, Ia., wasacquired by 25-unit Spahn & RoseLumber, Dubuque, Ia., from PhilSolheim and Ken Popenhagen, whowill continue to work at the business.

White’s Lumber & BuildingSupplies, Pulaski, N.Y., will rebuildafter a Feb. 11 fire destroyed its retailstore and two warehouses.

Garfield Lumber, St. Joseph,Mo., is liquidating after 74 years, withthe retirement of Ed and Pat Burton,owners since 1980.

Koltes Lumber, Waunakee, Wi.,closed Jan. 28 after 129 years.

Sister store Koltes Do It Best,Lodi, Wi., continues operating.

US LBM Buying Hines LumberEdward Hines Lumber, Chicago,

Il., and its subsidiary Hall & Househave agreed to be acquired by USLBM Holdings LLC, Green Bay, Wi.,making it the 10th largest LBM dis-tributor in the U.S.

“We are excited to have HinesLumber and Hall & House as part ofour expanding line-up of building sup-ply businesses,” said L.T. Gibson,president and c.e.o. of US LBM.“Hines Lumber is synonymous withresidential building in the Chicagoarea. The company is part of the busi-ness fabric of Chicago and the sur-rounding communities.”

Until the sale is complete, US LBMwill fund the daily operations of bothcompanies, including employee wagesand payments to vendors and suppli-ers. Founded in 1892, Hines Lumberoperates five lumberyards and special-ty centers. In 2008, the companyexpanded by acquiring Hall & House,Westfield, In.

Buyers Scour North PacificNorth Pacific Group, Tigard, Or., is

seeking court approval to sell a por-tion of its assets for $20-25 million toAtlas Holdings LLC, a private equity

firm based in Greenwich, Ct. Under the deal, Atlas Trading

would acquire North Pacific’s foodand agriculture and utility and con-struction units, the Portland-based por-tions of its hardwood and industrialproducts unit, and the company’sPortland Trading Platform.

North Pacific, once the third-largestprivate company in Oregon, wasforced into receivership on Jan. 20,after its lenders filed a lawsuit claim-ing the company and its subsidiarieshad defaulted on $42 million in loans.That figure has since been reduced to$30 million, according to EdwardHostmann Inc., the crisis managementfirm that now controls North Pacific.

Hostmann is completing negotia-tions on a final agreement to sellanother North Pacific division that“would substantially reduce the debt”to lenders and “plans to move for itsapproval as soon as possible.”

Still up for grabs are NorthPacific’s building products division,its Southern Trading Unit, and itshardwood lumber and flooring manu-facturing operations in Arkansas andMissouri. A manufacturing plant inRaymondville, Mo., was shut down inlate January.


ating it as an ongoing concern.”Founded in 1938, Coastal is one of

the country’s largest exporters of for-est products, with 13 sawmills andfour concentration yards.

Roof Collapse Traps WorkerSnow caused the peaked roof to

collapse over the finishing mill atRitenour Lumber, Melcroft, Pa.,briefly trapping one person inside.

At the time of the collapse, KenRitenour and Ron Ritenour wereworking in the mill. “One made it outbefore the roof collapsed. He heard itcoming,” said fire chief Max Gales ofKen Ritenour’s escape.

Ron Ritenour “dove beside the highlift and that saved all the debris fromcoming clear down on him,” saidGales. Although he appeared to haverib and head injuries, he was alertwhen an ambulance took him to anearby hospital.

“Definitely, the Lord was watchingout for him because it could have beena lot worse,” said Paul Ritenour, com-pany president since 1993.

Inside the mill, the floor was lit-tered with roof trusses, nearly $30,000in completed orders, and up to 4 ft. ofsnow. The owners plan to rebuild.

Roper Sells Taylor Bros. YardThe Lester Group, Martinsville,

Va., has acquired and reopened TaylorBrothers Lumber Co., Lynchburg, Va.,from bankrupt Roper Brothers LumberCo., Petersburg, Va.

In December, Roper filed forChapter 11 bankruptcy protection andshut down its six yards, including 58-year-old Taylor Bros. (see Jan., p. 23).

Lester operates pro yards inMartinsville and Fredericksburg, Va.,and four Fortress Wood Productstreating plants in North Carolina.

Coastal Lumber DownsizesCoastal Lumber Co., Charlottes-

ville, Va., is closing its dry kiln andconcentration yards in Goldsboro,N.C., and Buckhannon, W.V., and itssawmill in Spartansburg, Pa., as itnegotiates with potential buyers tokeep the facilities open.

“This closing is a result of CoastalLumber right-sizing the company toreflect current market conditions, andis not a reflection of the dedicated,hard working employees at this plant,”said c.e.o. Victor C. Barringer II of theclosure in Buckhannon. “We arepresently negotiating with two sepa-rate parties who are interested in oper-

Dealer’s Lumber is closing itsyards in Sunbury and Columbus, Oh.,after 90 years.

Artistic Builders Supply ,Lawrenceville, Ga., was destroyed byan early morning fire Feb. 10.

Lacillade Lumber closed its 73-year-old Williamstown, Vt., lumberyardat the end of February and placed the36-acre site up for sale.

Operations continue at its branch inWilliston, Vt., which specializes in win-dows, doors, cabinets and countertops.

The owners of Stewart Bros.Hardware, Midtown and Bartlett, Tn.,opened a third, 12,000-sq. ft. AceHardware store Feb. 10 in Cordova,Tn. Store #4, at 10,000 sq. ft., will opennext month in White Station (E.Memphis), Tn.

Rylee’s Ace Hardware opensa larger, 31,000-sq. ft. replacementstore March 22 in Grand Rapids, Mi.

Vergas Hardware, Vergas, Mn.,converted from Ace Hardware to aHardware Hank franchise.

Owner Paul Pinke installed new sig-nage and a new computer system.

Lowe’s opened new stores Feb.19 in Lowell, Ma., and Feb. 5 inAbingdon, Va. (Chris Bare, store mgr.),and Jan. 29 in Hudson, Ma.

Home Depot is liquidating itshome centers in Wilson, N.C., andWaveland, Ms., as well as a clearancecenter in Atlanta, Ga., by March 31.

Metro Builders Supply, Tulsa,Ok., has been renamed MetroAppliances & More and is buildinglocation #10, in Jonesboro, Ar.

Habitat for Humanity thismonth is opening a 19,000-sq. ft.ReStore discount LBM outlet inSavannah, Ga.; a 10,000-sq. ft. unit inNew Richmond, Wi., as well as a storein Pittsfield, Ma.

Habitat held a Feb. 13 grand open-ing for a 40,000-sq. ft. replacementReStore in Oxford, N.C., and is consid-ering moving its Ravenna Township,Oh., location to the former KentHardware building in downtownKent, Oh.

DEALER Briefs


Wolf , York, Pa., has added a101,000-sq. ft. distribution center inLexington, N.C., expanding its reachinto the Carolinas, northern Georgia,eastern Alabama, and Tennessee.

The cross-dock facility distributescabinetry, decking, railing, trim andother LBM products.

Bradco Supply, Avenel, N.J.,has acquired commercial roofing dis-tributor Insulation Systems Inc.,Greensboro, N.C.

Its three branches, includingCharlotte and Raleigh, N.C., will contin-ue to operate under the ISI name, andformer owner Dewey Haizlip will remainon to ensure a smooth transition.

M.C. Dixon Lumber Co .,Eufala, Al., secured a community grantto help restart its sawmill, down since2008.

CMI, Chicago, Il., has agreed toacquire the assets of 66-year-oldIllinois Flush Door Co .,Plainfield, Il.

SUPPLIER BriefsNortheast EWP DistributorGets Double Certified

Eastern Engineered WoodProducts, Bethlehem, Pa., which dis-tributes structural building products inthe Northeast, recently earned chainof custody certification from ForestStewardship Council and SustainableForestry Initiative.

“Achieving both certifications pro-vides the opportunity to supply awider offering of certified products,giving our customers and theirbuilders more product options,” saidpresident Todd Lindsey.

EEWP’s certification was the firstcompleted by the North Americanunit of SGS, an inspection, verifica-tion, testing, and certification compa-ny headquartered in Geneva,Switzerland.

Green Product Group FormsThe Green Roundtable/NEXUS

has launched a new internationalGreen Product Association, the “firstinclusive platform to represent theentire life-cycle of products from con-struction through operations.”

GPA’s mission is to lead an indus-try-wide market transformation sothat building products meet a continu-

ously increasing level of sustainabilitythroughout their life cycle. GPAhopes that in time all building prod-ucts will be green, and that their per-formance criteria and metrics will bevisible to all.

Founding participants includeBostik, CBC Flooring, and ULEnvironment.

Hardwood Decking SpecialistLaunches Online Store

Advantage Trim & Lumber Co.has launched an online hardwooddecking store, initially specializing instandard, pre-grooved, and T&G ipé.

Accessing www.advantagelumber.com, customers can select theirdesired species and profile with sizesup to 23 ft. for most dimensions.Orders are processed immediately,including calculation of UPS or directfreight costs.

In time, the site will offer everyspecies of lumber, flooring, and deck-ing stocked by Advantage.

All international wholesale ordersare handled from Advantage’s admin-istrative offices in Sarasota, Fl.Orders are shipped around the worldfrom milling facilities in Grover,N.C., and Buffalo, N.Y.


Your Midwest Redwood SpecialistREDWOOD DECKINGTHE NATURAL ALTERNATIVE

Full Range & Large Inventory for all your redwood lumber needs

CHICAGO SUBURBAN LUMBER SALES800-341-6485

7459 Franklin St., Forest Park, IL 60130Fax: 708-771-7391 • Email: [email protected]

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We Ship by the Unit or by the Piece

IN Memoriam

Charles Montgomery, 56, branchmanager of ProBuild, Hattiesburg,Ms., died Feb. 4 in New Orleans, La.

He began his career in 1974 as awarehouse manager with Lowe’s,Hattiesburg, also managing stores inEl Dorado, Ar., and Lake Charles, La.,before returning to the Hattiesburgstore in 1984. He became manager ofthe local Lowe’s Contractor Yard in1997, staying on after it becameProBuild in 2006.

Howard Conklin Jr., 72, formerpresident and chairman of Conklin &Strong Inc., Warwick, N.Y., died Jan.12 in Goshen, N.Y.

He served with the Navy in Guamduring World War II. He entered thefamily business, initially in Goshen,N.Y., after earning a degree in forestryat Michigan State University.

Stephen Clifton Phillips, 57,owner of Phillips Lumber, Cedar Hill,Tx., died Feb. 2 of damage to his heartthat was caused by a virus.

After serving in the Air NationalGuard, he joined the family business.

Robert “Bob” Henry Krueger,67, retired outside salesperson forWickes Lumber, Green Bay, Wi., diedFeb. 9 of a heart attack in Green Bay.

He worked at Wickes for 46 yearsbefore retiring in 2007.

Henry Wilburn Culp Jr., presi-dent of W.W. Culp Lumber, NewLondon, N.C., died on his 88th birth-day, Feb. 14, in Durham, N.C.

He graduated with a businessdegree from Duke University in 1942,then served in the Air Force from1943 to 1946.

He took over the family businesswhen his father died in 1950 andremained in charge until his passing.

Dennis G. Wilker, 62, former co-owner of Rochester Lumber Co.,Oronco, Mn., died of cancer Feb. 6,2010 in Byron, Mn.

After serving in the U.S. Army inVietnam, he worked for FullertonLumber, Minneapolis, Mn., from 1969to 1989. In 1990, he became partowner of Rochester Lumber, retiringin December 2003.

Thomas C. Rutzky, 71, salesmanfor the old Tri-W Lumber, LeetoniaOh., died Feb. 14 in Columbiana, Oh.

Joel David Schine, 82, president ofCity Lumber, Bridgeport, Ct., diedFeb. 14 in Bridgeport.

He was president of Yale’s class of1948 and served in the Navy.

James Clifford “J.C.” Wilson, 84,founder of Wilson Lumber Co.,Harold, Fl., died after a lengthy illnessFeb. 3 in Harold.

A veteran of the U. S. Navy, heopened his own sawmill in 1973.

Charles Dewitt Arbuthnot, 80,retired part-owner of Central BuildingSupply, Jonesville, La., Jena LumberYard, Jena, La., died Jan. 29 in Jena.

After Pearl Harbor, he served withthe U.S. Navy in the Pacific.

Kermit C. Rudolph, 76, retiredowner of Rudolph Lumber, Maumee,Oh., died of a rare disease named pro-gressive supranuclear palsy Feb. 2 inToledo, Ohio.

He served in Japan with the U.S.Army. Upon his discharge, he ownedPemberville Lumber, Pemberville,Oh., adding the Rudolph yard in the1960s and operating it until 2000.

Joe N. Carraway, 88, former co-owner of Myers Lumber, Selma, In.,died Jan. 23 in Selma.

After serving in the Navy duringWW II, he co-owned Myers Lumber,then worked as assistant manager atMcCarty Wholesale Lumber, Muncie,In., for 23 years until retiring in 1974.

Ace Offers Mobile AccessAce Hardware Corp., Oak

Brook, Il., has made it easier forcustomers to access its websitefrom their mobile phones.

Customers can now use theirmobile phones to search for thenearest Ace store using Googlemaps and access store info such ashours of operation, services pro-vided, maps, and brands sold. ALocal Weekly Ads section lets cus-tomers browse local Ace ads andview sale items and product detailsnear their location.

The mobile site also offers linksto Ace’s Facebook page, YouTubeand Twitter, giving users theopportunity to stay current on allAce-related news and videos on d-i-y home repair.

“Over the past year, we’ve seena significant increase in the amountof traffic coming to acehard-ware.com from mobile devices,”explained e-commerce marketingsupervisor Mark Lowe. “Themobile phone has become a com-munication hub for many con-sumers, so it’s critical that Aceprovide a mobile-optimized solu-tion for them.

“Users visiting [our site] fromtheir mobile phone will automati-cally be served up the mobile ver-sion of the site, so it will be seam-less for them. To build on that baseof traffic, we will be spreading theword with messaging on acehard-ware.com, our circular ads, andthrough email campaigns.”


Sarah Haenel has been promoted tosales mgr. of Boise’s buildingmaterial division in Chicago, Il.

Dale Rodekuhr has retired after 36years in the business, the last 32 asa trader at Tampa InternationalForest Products, Tampa, Fl.

Jim Dermody was named president ofSeaboard International ForestProducts, Nashua, N.H., replacingfounder Lorin Rydstrom, whomoves to parent company ForestCity Trading Group, Portland, Or.

Sheldon Grigg is store mgr. of thenew Lowe’s Home ImprovementCenter in Clemson, S.C.

Casey Huber has been named directorfor the new Cincinnati Habitat forHumanity ReStore, Bond Hill, Oh.

Wendy Burnett, director of commu-nications & public relations, South-eastern Lumber ManufacturersAssociation, has resigned after 10years, to join the Georgia ForestryCommission as director of publicrelations.

Chuck Hall has been promoted to v.p.of sales for DriTac FlooringProducts, Clifton, N.J.

Bob Anderson, Scotch Gulf Lumber,Mobile, Al., retired after 40 yearsin the industry, the last 10 years assales mgr. with Gulf Lumber.

James Thompson has joined FascoAmerica, Muscle Shoals, Al., asregional sales mgr. for theSouthwestern U.S.

Pat Heffernan, ex-North Pacific, hasjoined Distribution ManagementSystems Inc., Omaha, Ne., leadingits continued expansion into thedealer market. Kevin O’Conner isnew to DMSi in San Antonio, Tx.,as the primary sales rep for dealers.

Scott Garber, ex-Mid-Ark Lumber,has opened a Greenville, S.C.,office for Professional Panel, Inc., adivision of Pruett Forest Products,Tuscaloosa, Al.

Bob Kubinec, founder, KubinecStrapping Solutions, Howell, Mi.,has retired after 35 years in theindustry and sold his business toChris Pagett.

John W. Weaver, former head ofAbitiBowater Inc., was elected tothe board of directors at Louisiana-Pacific Corp., Nashville, Tn.

MOVERS & Shakers Phil Griese is new to SouthwoodForest Products, Fairfield, Al.

Ronald Kaplan, president and c.e.o.,Trex, Winchester, Va., adds thetitle of chairman May 5. He suc-ceeds retiring Andrew Ferrari,who helped found Trex in 1996.Jay Gratz will become lead inde-pendent director.

Bill O’Brien has joined VinylWindow Technologies, Paducah,Ky., as director of operations.

Julie Jozwik joined KNIPEX-Tools,Arlington Heights, Il., as marketingmgr. Randy Booth, ex-MinerallacFastening Systems, is new as salesmgr. for distribution sales in theEastern U.S. and Puerto Rico.

Melissa Cooke has been named con-troller for Sto Corp., Atlanta, Ga.

Monique Bauer, ex-North Pacific,has joined boutique marketingagency Cira Creative, Portland, Or.,as v.p. of client services.

Jason Plummer, v.p.-corporate devel-opment, R.P. Lumber, Edwards-ville, Il., is the state’s Republicannominee for lieutenant governor.

Ima Lusa has been relieved of hersales accounts at Mungus-FungusForest Products, Climax, Nv.,report co-owners Hugh Mungusand Freddy Fungus.


Taylor Lumber , McDermott,Oh., had its sawdust silo damaged in aFeb. 10 fire.

Shuqualak Lumber is adding awood shaving operation at i tsShuqualak, Ms., milling complex.

Parksite, Batavia, Il., acquired theDuPont Surfaces distribution assets ofL.E. Smith Co ., Bryan, Oh.,expanding its distribution of DuPontCorian and Zodiaq to 13 states.

In addition, Parksite is now distribut-ing AERIX roof ventilation products frombpEnnovations.

BlueLinx’s DCs in Springfield,Mo., and Tulsa, Ok., are now distribut-ing PureWood thermally modifiedwood decking.

Boston Cedar, Holbrook, Ma., isnow exclusive Northeast distributor ofAbaco tropical hardwood decking andrailing.

Timber Holdings Interna-tional, Milwaukee, Wi., is now distrib-uting the complete line of Cambia ther-mally modified wood products fromNorthland Forest Products,Manassas, Va.

Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork ,Wausau, Wi., merged its Inspiration,Foundation, and Resolution vinyl win-dows and doors into its new LatitudeSeries.

AZEK Building Products,Scranton, Pa., added two new colors toits Deck Terra composite deck collec-tion: Sedona and Tahoe.

CertainTeed’s Bufftech Chester-field vinyl fencing is now available inthree new blended colors: Arctic,Weathered, and Arbor.

Georgia-Pacific has doubledthe weather exposure limited warrantyfor DensArmor Plus fiberglass mat gyp-sum panels from six to 12 months.

Ultra Aluminum Mfg., Howell,Mi., updated its website (www.ultra-fence.com) to include all its fencing,gates, and porch and decking rails.

Anniversaries: Boston Cedar,Holbrook, Ma., 25th … Forest2-Market, Charlotte, N.C., 10th …

SUPPLIER Briefs

FIRST Person By Loren Krebs

I KNEW A LOT OF LITTLE KIDS whowanted to be firemen, policemen,

doctors, lawyers or cowboys, but Inever knew any who said they wantedto be in the lumber business. Clearly,this created some opportunity forthose of us who entered the workplacewith a willingness to work hard and noreal idea where our career paths wouldlead us.

And so it was, in December 1968after discharging from the U.S. Army,I found myself in need of employ-ment. My older brother managed alumberyard and suggested I apply at aplumbing and heating company thatwas located next to his lumberyard, asthey were looking for a ditch digger. Icould dig ditches, I thought.

I certainly had had worse jobs.Catching chickens in a dusty barncame to mind. This was done in thedead of night and required one towade into a seething sea of chickens,catching four in each hand and carry-ing them to a truck that would takethem to slaughter. This, of course, didnot please the chickens, and theyflapped their wings furiously in theirattempt to escape. The wing flappingstirred up a storm of manure-laceddust that permeated one’s nasal pas-sages, causing the stench to stay with

you a week or more. Surely, diggingditches could be no worse.

He was a big man. His name wasTex Jones, and he looked like he hadinvented the name Tex. “Can you diga ditch, son?” he asked, as if he hadhis doubts.

“I dug ditches in the Army,” Ireplied, trying to look bigger than Iwas.

“Well, I can’t tell you if it’s perma-nent,” he said, “but if you don’t mindusing a shovel and you don’t mindworking in the mud, you can start nextweek.”

I walked next door to the lumber-yard to find my brother and thank himfor the tip. The smell of sawdust andfresh-cut lumber filled the cool winterair. A forklift carrying a unit of ply-wood sped by, and the driver stoppedbehind a beat-up pickup and slid thepanels into the back of the truck. Acircular saw was running beside astorage shed, and it whined andscreeched each time the sawyer pulledthe blade into a piece of lumber. I hadnever been in a lumberyard before.

“How much does a ditch digger getpaid these days?” my brother askedfrom behind a sales counter coveredwith product samples, order pads,adding machines, and an old cash reg-ister.

“Well,” I answered, “Tex said hewould start me at $3 per hour.”

My brother thought for a moment.“I’ll give you $3.25 per hour and youcan start tomorrow. I’m going to needanother yardman.”

Little did I know I was an acciden-tal lumberman and my career in thelumber business had just begun.

Terms of the Trade describes alumberman as follows: “A generic

term describing any person involvedin the manufacturing or marketing oflumber, plywood, or other wood prod-ucts.” By this definition, I qualified,but after a week at the lumberyard Irealized I was no lumberman, acciden-tal or otherwise. I didn’t know a boardfrom a piece of dimension lumber. Ididn’t know a joist from a beam. I did-n’t know a galvanized box nail from abox of rocks. In other words, I didn’tknow jack! It was clear to me thatbeing a lumberman required knowl-edge and experience I didn’t have. Ifound myself relying heavily on theold veterans, and most were more thanwilling to share their experience withme.

I began sweeping warehouse floors,something I could do with littleinstruction. Soon, I was filling storagebins with lumber, plywood and otherbuilding products and began to learnabout grades and develop productknowledge. When contractors backedup at the sales counter, the store man-ager would come out and tell me tograb a customer and help out. Mikeand Jim, two old counter pros, taughtme lumber math, formulas, shortcuts,and, most importantly, how to servicea customer. They showed me therewas a difference between selling andtaking orders, and taught me theimportance of actually being a sales-man.

In time, I learned to operate a fork-lift and drive a truck. A forklift drivernamed Ivan showed me how to move24-ft. lumber through a 20-ft. door andreminded me often not to carry theloads too high or I would run into thewarehouse rafters. He was correct onthat point. A truck driver named Gustaught me to double clutch, tie somepretty fancy knots, and drop a load oflumber off the back of a truck softly,

The AccidentalLumberman


exactly where it was intended to go.Greg, a younger driver, showed mehow to carry underlayment up a2”x12” plank without falling off. Ipacked a lot of particleboard in theearly years of my career.

Butch, a yardman who had oncebeen a logger, took me into the woodsand shared with me his appreciationfor nature and the beauty of Oregon’sforests. He taught me that the bestplace in the world to drink a can ofcold beer was next to a logging road,high above a fresh clear-cut with aview of a newly uncovered valley. Heexplained to me the concept of clear-cutting Douglas fir and showed me thebeauty of a regenerating forest.

Clarence, another yardman, taughtme about the structure and beauty ofmany species of lumber. He seemed toknow everything there was to knowabout redwood, cedar, hemlock,Douglas fir, and pine. He was a walk-ing encyclopedia of lumber and lovedwood more than anybody I ever knew.He called my attention to a wonderfulparagraph found in the West CoastLumber grading rules: “At no time, inwhatever grade, should the inherentand wonderful properties of wood beforgotten.” I always liked that para-graph and, to this day, it reminds meof my lessons from Clarence.

Eventually, I moved from the retaillumberyard to wholesale distributionand continued learning about the lum-ber business. I am ever mindful andappreciative of those who helped mealong the way. Much of my successcan be attributed to the insight, wis-dom and knowledge of those whocame before me. In turn, I have triedto pass my knowledge on to others,and I would encourage all of you to dothe same. We have a whole new gen-eration of accidental lumbermenbeginning their careers, and the indus-try will be well served by teachingthem how important basic lumberskills are and how to be good lumber-men. And, of course, your customerswill appreciate it, too.

– Loren Krebsbegan his career inthe lumber businessin 1969 and recentlyretired as purchas-ing department man-ager after 25 yearswith Disdero Lum-ber, Clackamas, Or.He can be reachedby email at krebs@oregoncoast.



IT’S TRUE: people who owe youmoney do not like you! They feel

guilty if they’re late with a paymentand burdened that they’ve procrasti-nated. They know it’s not your fault,but they feel pressured and unhappy.

Your customer can be extremelyupset if he or she receives a financialsurprise. It is wise to remember that asurprised customer will first be anembarrassed client, and then willbecome an angry customer!

If you want to avoid all this stressand anger, take the following steps toclearly outline your company’s finan-cial policies. Clear financial policiesare a very real part of customer ser-vice, especially when presented by awarm, empathetic, knowledgeable

MANAGEMENT Tips By Rhonda Savage

staff. In addition, for a policy to beeffective, it must be well understoodby staff and backed up by the ownerand manager.

Determine the health of your A/R:As a basic guideline, your accounts

receivable (A/R) balance should notexceed one half to one month of pro-duction.

• Run a “clean” A/R report thatdoes not include credit balances andanalyze the 60-day-and-over column,as well as the 90-day-and-over col-umn. In general, the 60-day-and-overcolumn should not be more than 4-6%of what your clients owe you. The 90-and-over column should not be morethan 2-4% of your A/R.

• Make certain also to run a pastdue report. Any accounts 30 days pastdue require a follow up call from theteam member responsible for thisdepartment.

• The owner’s role is to hire, trainand provide oversight for your finan-cial health. Even with the finest officemanager, the owner should still beinvolved and should be the leader inthe business.

• The owner should review the A/Ron a monthly basis, or more often ifthis area of your business needs addi-tional attention. Many offices have apolicy that “everyone does every-thing.” With a more systematicapproach, the owner can oversee thoseaccountable for particular areas. And,your team members will know who toask for what, such as which staffmember should speak with a particularclient. Designated office responsibili-ties with clearly defined goals andexpectations decrease stress andincrease professionalism.

If your A/R balance is less than onehalf of your monthly production, yourfinancial policies may be too firm andstaff may be unintentionally runningclients off. On the other hand, for your

Clear financial policies keepcustomers coming back


established customers of record, youmight consider flexibility in paymentif the client has demonstrated a goodhistory. If you do offer financialoptions, however, do not extend themfor more than three months and have are-bill policy, or inform the client ofinterest due after or during the three-month period. Also, verify the credithistory of the client prior to advancingcredit.

• Check with your state law regard-ing interest regulations and present awritten policy to the customer.

• Do you have old accounts on yourA/R that have been turned over forcollection? Adjust these off so youhave a true A/R that is collectable.Enter the adjusted amount into theclient’s record and keep a separateledger file for this activity. Check withyour accountant and clean up yourAccounts Receivable report.

Develop your financial guidelines:Sit down with your team and write

out your office financial guidelines.The collection of money owed is theresponsibility of the entire team. Oncethe entire team creates the guidelines,the owner needs to approve and standbehind them. Have you ever noticedthat the client will try to go around thestaff person and ask for a discount? Orask if they can pay “over time” insteadof paying as the service is completed?

As an owner or manager, you willundermine the client’s trust andrespect of your staff if you allow evenone customer to do this. One kind-hearted business owner said, “There’sno ‘end run’ involved! I just plowright through my front office team andgive the discount up front to the cus-tomer, and I know I’m the problem!”

Discuss the philosophy of yourbusiness with your team. Each officeis different. If you feel compelled togive a courtesy, consider a limited dis-count amount rather than a discountedpercentage.

• It is advisable to craft a “changeof policy letter” regarding your posi-tion on cash courtesies or changes inyour office’s financial policy. Theworst thing you can do is surprise thecustomer! Remember that a surprisedcustomer is an angry customer. Doallow the prior courtesy level and letthe client know, in a friendly, warmmanner, why you’ve had a change inpolicy. And then the new courtesylevel would apply for all future proce-dures or services.

• Owners or managers: Reinforce

the efforts of your office team. If anold friend asks for a courtesy, let himknow that your staff will handle all thefinancials for the two of you. If theowner shoots down the financial coor-dinator, she may not want to enforcethe policy again! Owners who makearrangements contrary to office policycreate stress for their staff and ulti-mately can create spoiled clients whowill continue to go around the staff.Spoiled clients are created by nice,caring owners who want to bend overbackwards for their clients, especiallyearly in the relationship. These clientsbecome quite demanding and are often

rude to the office team, dictating whenthey’ll come in, when they’ll pay, andhow much they’ll pay!

Criteria for financial options:The client is prepared in advance

regarding their responsibilities withpayment.

• The front office team’s responsi-bility is to say, “Will that be cash,check or bank card?”

• If the work or service is extensive,consider breaking the client’s portioninto three segments, with one-third

(Please turn to page 46)


EVEN IN GOOD ECONOMIC TIMES,perks can be a sensitive issue,

raising the eyebrows of employeeswho feel equally committed to thesuccess of the business.

In challenging economic times, andin an era of cost-cutting and employeereductions, perks can create great bit-terness among employees who seefamily members as abusing their posi-tions within the business. Clearly, ahealthy dialogue among family own-ers and/or managers can help the fami-ly think through the impact of theseperks and determine if their currentpolicy needs a revamp.

Examples of normal perks includecars for family employees, club mem-

an employee workforce during a timeof cutbacks, families would do well toconsider not only the broader impactthat their perks have on the organiza-tion, but also the trust level betweenemployees and the owning family.

While there are many instances inwhich certain perks are legal, familiesare cautioned from letting feelings ofentitlement blur their sensitivity to thedetrimental effects on employees’morale and their trust in family man-agement if those practices are seen asabusive and unfair.

Examining the Perks PolicyHere are signals to the family that

the perks policy may need attention:

FAMILY Business By Christopher Eckrich

Family perks:Benefit or boondoggle?

berships, and use of company creditcards. Most families are quiet aboutperks not afforded to non-familyemployees. In the current economicenvironment, when hardworkingemployees see family employeesusing corporate dollars for whatappear to be personal expenses, theyoften feel a sense of injustice.

A thoughtful client recently statedthat when thinking about perks, theprimary question should be, “Howwill this impact the business?” Sooften, families are focused internallyon the subject of perks, exploringwhether perks are distributed fairlythroughout the family. In light of thechallenges involved with motivating

• There is tension between familymembers over the business perks givento family employees who work in thebusiness. Frequently, those who do notwork in the business will be sensitiveto a lack of fairness, particularly whena family member in the businessreceives a perk that is not given toother employees. This implies that theperk is based only on the person’sfamily status.

If it is determined that family statusis the primary motivator, then it is aclear message to those family mem-bers not in the business that they arenot of the same status, and this causestension for the family. When this issuesurfaces, it is a good time to reviewthe purposes and motivations behindthe perks.

• Non-family employees are verbal-izing frustration about certain familyperks that may be taken. In our experi-ence, this discontent is frequentlyvoiced about a specific person whomay not be performing well within thebusiness. Rather than disregard theconcern as being an inappropriatestatement on the part of the employee,care should be taken to make surethere is a sound basis for the perkbeing taken.

• A family perk is justified becauseof the low compensation paid to familymembers working in the business.Nothing stirs up more distress thanfamily employees being paid at a dis-count rate because they are family.Our experience shows that payingmarket rates is generally seen as themost fair and appropriate compensa-tion practice, and doing so oftenmakes it unnecessary for certain perksto be used as a balancing mechanism.

• You have not checked to makesure that the perk is legally solid,according to your CPA. Many fami-lies take perks as an ownership ormanagement benefit without anawareness of the legal implications ofthe practice. Ask your CPA if thereare any concerns about the perks thatfamily members receive. If the answeris yes, the matter should be addressedimmediately.

Keeping a Healthy DialoguePerks are tricky issues, and the

family business unit needs to considermany scenarios. Is it appropriate tohave company employees, vendors orsuppliers do work on a shareholder’spersonal home? What are the expecta-tions for payment for those services?

Is there a discount? Is it free? Credit cards and gas cards for fami-

ly employees are common perks. Doesthe person’s position require that he orshe hold a credit card or a gas card inorder to perform their job, and doesthe business have a clear policy onwhether personal expenses need to bereimbursed? It is important to givecare and attention to these and othersituations that might exist within yourperks policy.

Perks are a source of conflict andtension, not only among family groupsbut also between different stakehold-ers in the business. A healthy dialogueamong owners about appropriate perksand the policies that govern them canhelp reduce and avoid conflict in thefamily enterprise. It might also moti-vate your employees to a greater senseof commitment knowing that you careabout the health of the business asmuch as they do.

– Christopher Eckrich is a principal ofthe Family Business Consulting Group,Marietta, Ga.; (800) 551-0633. He can bereached at [email protected].

Reprinted with permission from The FamilyBusiness Advisor, a copyrighted publication of FamilyEnterprise Publishers. No portion of this article maybe reproduced without permission of Family EnterprisePublishers.



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The studs reportedly do not rot, rust, corrode, orsupport mold or termites. They can be used with alltypes of insulation, and provide a thermal break whenattached directly to exterior concrete or block.

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Sleek Aluminum RailsAluminum deck rails are now available from

Universal Forest Products. Their sleek profile is powder-coated white or

black, and is compatible with all Deckorators balusterstyles. Post sleeves, stair rail bracket kits, angledbrackets, and matching post caps are also available.

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Drier Deck JoistsDryJoistEZ deck drainage system from Wahoo

Decks provides a sustainable alternative to traditionalwood deck joists, while adding a waterproof ceilingfor areas under the deck.

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Sealed ForeverSeal-Once from New Image Coatings waterproofs

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UV-stable, the coating protects against mold,mildew, cracking, splitting and warping.

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38 Building Products Digest March 2010

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NORTHEASTERN RETAIL Lumber Association returned to Boston, Ma.,Feb. 3-5, for its annual LBM Expo. [1] Mike Karpinski, Michael Babcock.[2] Bob Porter, Gearoid Hogan. [3] Tony LoPiccolo, Dennis Rossi, HenryCroteau. [4] Randy Haas, Ned Lawrence. [5] Justin Gregory, DaveKenworthy, Joe Marchionni. [6] Heather Hand, Michael Waldner, LaurenO’Keefe. [7] April Choquette, Tom Jones. [8] Bob Cini. [9] Mark Ritz,Jerry Ritz. [10] Rob Enders, Steve Hudson. [11] Bob Flute, Leon

Desrocher. [12] John Maiuri, John LaFave. [13] Stuart Seavey, DebbieBusick, Chris John son. [14] Kevin O’Connor, Pat Hefferman, JerryMcNamara. [15] Nick Georgelis, Jim Robbins. [16] Terry Davies. [17] BillBlanchette, Mike Mussen, Vinnie Colonna. [18] Matt Gilchrist, BrettKelley, Matt Gieseking, Jonathan LaPointe. [19] Beth Howder, EricChurchill. [20] Kevin Slozak, Dan Kukol, Russ Howe. [21] Alden Robbins,Tonia Tibbetts. [22] Louise Hudon, Francois D’Amours, Julie Boucher.

(More photos on next page.)


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BOSTON’S Seaport World Trade Center was the site of the recentNRLA Expo (continued from previous page). [1] Bill Christou, VincentMicale, Mark Hildebrand. [2] Robert Sanford, Clint Darnell. [3] JohnBumby, Bruce Faut. [4] Jeff Easterling, Mason Shives. [5] Bill Cooke,Ryan Gagne, Bob Burnham, Scott Clifford. [6] Tom Alves, Scott Martel.[7] Gene Cormier, Rob Mitchell. [8] George Hewitt, Rick Mullen, BobMaurer. [9] Prisco DiPrizio, David Hicks, Peter Horne. [10] Don Collins,

Paul Tarca. [11] Doug Helmacy, Ed O’Neill, Joe Peluso, Josh Barney.[12] Larry Bodge, Paul “Lou” Murphy. [13] John Smith, Craig Myers. [14]Tom Payne, Bill O’Berry, Tom Coxe. [15] John Prizio, Kris Hanson, RichSeverance. [16] David Dally, Rick Bickford. [17] Walter Hodor, NellFlowers, Scott Dewsbury. [18] Sylvio Clermont, Francois Germain. [19]Joshua Kaye, Michael Mellor. [20] Gil Adams, Scott Lewis.


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SOUTHERN BUILDING Material Association’s annual building productsshow was Feb. 3-4 in High Point, N.C. [1] David Beck, Freddy Siewers,Richie Siewers, Jim Enter. [2] Houston Crumpler, Mac & Patty Lawton.[3] Bruce Palmer, Ben Reeves. [4] Steve Garza, Gordon Blanchard,Andrew Ward. [5] Robin Morales, Cheyney Nicholson, EdwardNicholson. [6] Craig Young, Jim Schmidt. [7] Dave Cappellari, RyanCappellari, Bruce Shelton, Kate Weissmann. [8] Joe Sellers, JohnMorgan, Steve Dawson, Jeff Jones. [9] Jon Stier, Greg Gregory, Darrin

Mahan. [10] Rob Taylor, Rudy Viverette, Jim King. [11] Mary Beth Foltz,Jim Brueggemann, Jan Russell. [12] Tony Winstead, Mark Holloman,Pete Petrochuk, Eric Cashen, Brock Farmer, Mark Ryhanyeh. [13]Norwood Morrison, Norma Jean & Bruce Edwards, David Brandenburg.[14] Don Emery, Eddie Cox. [15] Chris Moon, Dennis Sullivan. [16] TimBrown, Marty Twiford. [17] Stephanie Hogg, Kathy Wooley. [18] YvonnaCarter, Joe Allen.

(More photos on next two pages)


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SBMA EVENT brought members to High Point, N.C. (continued fromprevious page). [1] Stan Pittman, Don Hunter, Bill Davies. [2] JohnRamsey, Everette & Ginny Greene. [3] June Hrubik, Bryan Strickland,James Hobbs. [4] Alan Thompson, Tony Combs, Buford Arning. [5] TimCrawford, Neal Grubbs, Jim Kilpatrick. [6] Ray Grice, Larry Williams. [7]Drew Sehasny, Bryan Kirit, Rick Renshaw, Bob Allen. [8] TommyMayhew, Wayne Neass. [9] David Moore, David Calloway. [10] Don

English, Jim Epperson. [11] Harold Rush, Geoff Crandlemire, BobDando, Joel Davis. [12] Dan Wagoner, Joel Falkner. [13] MichaelGunderson, Scott Chiccarello, Don Ruddy, Missy Schram, Ron Miller,Marty Pritchett. [14] Mike Gower, Michael Sullivan. [15] ShayneJohnson, Joel Adamson, Mark Hobart, Tony Ledford, Gary McDougal.[16] Ken Panitt, Leland O’Brien. [17] Reed Hill, Wayne Brackett.

(More photos on next page)


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SBMA buying show (continued from previous pages). [1] PatriciaJones, Rick Kinney. [2] Ronnie Simpson, Sean Samples, DavidNelson, Mark Fisher. [3] Scott Griffin, Jeff Womack. [4] PhilOsborne, Ted Smith, Mike Trantham, Ron White, Stan Simmons,Dennis Ramey. [5] Ross Lampe, Sam Murray. [6] Charlie Trible,Joanne Wheeler. [7] Steve Smith, John Morrison, Philip Dooly,Hugh Morrison. [8] Sid Greene, Josh Heubaum. [9] Craig

Doehner, Brad Treece. [10] Mary & Lou Hutchings, CraigDoehner. [11] Ken Sexton, Scott Delapp, Billy Haire. [12] KurtBergland, Gary Franklin. [13] Bo Sink, Curtis Smith, Gary Bunn,Robin Parker, Dwight Strickland. [14] Ron Talley, Phil McCaul,Alex Hicks. [15] Danny Langston, Bruce Ayres. [16] AshleyHuneycutt, Frank Hyatt. [17] Zac Thick, Michael Bowers. [18]Larry Adams, Craig Webb. Do

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Illinois Lumber & Material Deal-ers Association presented anniversaryawards at last month’s annual conven-tion—50 years for EB Buildings,Princeville, and Schaaf Window Co.,Tinley Park; 70 years, EffinghamBuilders Supply, Effingham; 75 years,Crafty Beaver Home Centers, Skokie;90 years, Sublette Farmers Elevator,Sublette; 100 years, BrownstownLumber, Brownstown; 105 years,Spahn & Rose Lumber, Stockton,Pearl City and Warren, and 140 years,Doug White Lumber, Marissa.

The convention was overseen byILMDA’s new officers, includingpresident Terry Holm, HolmFinancial, Chicago; v.p. Arthur Mize,Associated Lumber Industries,Carbondale; secretary Tom Hodgson,Alexander Lumber, Aurora, andtreasurer Kurt Kirchner, KirchnerBuilding Centers, Kansas, Il.

May 6 is Legislative Day at theCapitol in Springfield. The Foundationgolf outing is May 19 at EdgewoodGolf Course, Auburn.

Lumbermen’s Association ofTexas & Louisiana will “Nurture theRoots” at its 124th annual conventionApril 8-10 at the Henry B. GonzalezConvention Center, San Antonio, Tx.

Speakers include consultant ChrisRader, NLBMDA chairman DanFesler, building science advisor KathyHoward, and financial analystDanielle DiMartino.

Florida Building MaterialAssociation will celebrate its 90thanniversary during its annual conven-tion and trade show in late September.

Poker and golf tournaments arescheduled April 1-2 at Golden HillsGolf & Turf Club, Ocala, and May 13-14 at Deer Creek Golf & CountryClub, Deerfield Beach.

April 22 is a regional networkingmeeting at Jeld-Wen, Tampa.

National Hardwood LumberAssociation will offer three-day lum-ber grading courses March 29-April 1in Sidney, Mi., and May 3-5 inWarren, Pa. A four-day grading courseis April 12-15 in Connellsville, Pa.

A two-part leadership, manage-ment, and development programoffered every three years will be April11-14 in Memphis, Tn., and May 10-13 in Washington, D.C.

ASSOCIATION Update

Mid South Building MaterialDealers Association installed newpresident David Huntington, Hunt-ington Lumber, Hazlehurst, Ms., at itsrecent annual convention.

New 1st v.p. is Jim Smith, HomeHardware Centers, Natchez, Ms.; 2ndv.p. Tommy Chauvin, ChauvinLumber, Chauvin, La.; treasurerDouglas Boykin, Rex Lumber,Doswell, Va., and ladies auxillarypresident Susan Hernbloom.

Lifetime memberships were award-ed to Lamar Buffington and SonnyMagee.

Kentucky Building MaterialAssociation holds its 105th annualconvention April 21-23 at HiltonLexington Downtown, Lexington, Ky.

University of Kentucky headcoaches Joseph “Joker” Phillips Jr.and John Calipari will speak.

Mississippi Lumber Manufactur-ers Association recently installed PatThomasson, Thomasson Lumber,Philadelphia, Ms., as its new presi-dent. Her father, Hugh Thomasson,served as MLMA president in 1969.

Southern Building MaterialDealers Association handed outawards to exhibitors at its annualbuilding show in High Point, N.C.

ECMD, Wilkesboro, N.C., won asSupplier of the Year; Smith-PhillipsBuilding Supply, Winston-Salem,

N.C., Dealer of the Year; BooneLumber/Hardin Creek Timber, Boone,N.C., most original booth display;Snavely Forest Products, Liberty,N.C., most professional display; ClarkHall Doors, Charlotte, N.C., most dra-matic presentation; Epperson Special-ty Woods, Statesville, N.C., best newproduct; Sun Windows, Owensboro,Ky., best green product presentation,and Turnkey Programming, Arden,N.C., best single booth display.

Northeastern Lumber Manufac-turers Association won a court victo-ry on behalf of IPPC ISPM 15-certi-fied wood packaging facilities. Theassociation’s stamp certifications werejeopardized by a non-authorized NewYork facility that knowingly violatedfederal rules by creating and imple-menting counterfeit NELMA stampsand other false designations.

Selects & Btr.1x6 thru 1x12 -R/L4/4 x R/w/L5/4 x R/w/L6/4 x R/w/L8/4 x R/w/L

Kiln Dried Rough or S4S1x6 thru 1x12 #1&2 Com

4/4 #1 Panel Pecky (selected)

Landry Lumber Co.P.O. Box 522, Mansura, LA 71350

A Division of

We also run all patterns

Call Joe Elder(800) 467-8018

Fax 318-964-5276

or Richard Landry(318) 442-0453

Fax 318-443-2108

One million feet of cypressin inventory at all times!

Specialty CYPRESS!

Deep SwampCypress

SOUTHERN Building Material Association rec-ognized Smith-Phillips’ Mickey Boles (leftphoto) as Dealer of the Year and ECMD’s MattBlack and Don Wilson as Supplier of the Yearduring its recent show. (More SBMA photos onpreceding three pages).


Let’sGet OurIndustryBack toWork!

FreeHelp Wanted

Adsin the April2010 Issue

of BPD

Our goal is to connect as

many industry job hunters with

industry jobs as possible.

If your company has an open

position, we will give you up to a

$50 credit for a Help Wanted ad

in next month’s April issue, which

is one of our most-read issues of

the year. Since the regular rate is

$1.20 per word, ads up to 40words are absolutely free.

Deadline: We must receive

your text no later than March 20.Fax 949-852-0231 or email

[email protected].

There are a lot of good people

looking for a new opportunity.

Together, let’s try to get them

back to work as soon as possible.


Phone (949) 852-1990Fax 949-852-0231

[email protected]

FOR SALE

WANTED: LUMBERYARDS FOR SALE.We have a growing list of clients asking foryards to purchase. We are business brokers aswell as financial advisors to the lumber &building material industry. We will prepare amarketing package that will create enthusiasminternally and externally. Contact PhilipArsenault of American Business Consulting at(508) 864-7500. See our website atwww.amerbusconsulting.com.

WE BUY AND SELL PANEL STRIPSPlywood, OSB, particleboard and MDF by the

truckloads. Lumber Source, Phone (800) 874-1953, Fax 888-576-8723, [email protected].

WANTED TO BUY

WANTED TO BUY

Rates: $1.20 per word (25 word min.). Phone number counts as 1 word, address as 6. Centered copy orheadline, $9 per line. Border, $9. Private box, $15. Column inch rate: $55 if art furnished “camera-ready” (adver-tiser sets the type), $65 if we set the type.

Send ad to Fax 949-852-0231 or dkoenig@ building-products.com. For more info, call (949) 852-1990. Makechecks payable to Cutler Publishing. Deadline: 18th of previous month.

To reply to ads with private box numbers, send correspondence to box number shown, c/o BPD. Namesof advertisers using a box number cannot be released.

CLASSIFIED Marketplace

HELP WANTED

Are you interested in success and growth?Boise Cascade’s Building MaterialsDistribution (BMD) may be the place for you.

While our company, like everyone in ourindustry, has been affected by the downturn inthe housing market, we’ve stuck with our basicstrategy; remained committed to our customers,suppliers, and employees, and continued toinvest in our growth and success.

Our future is solid and bright. Our strategyis to grow in existing markets and expand tonew markets. In order to accomplish theseobjectives, we are looking to strengthen ourteam. We will do this in two ways: First, wewill continue to provide resources and opportu-nities so existing employees can grow and besuccessful; and second, we are interested inattracting and hiring new people to help usgrow in all aspects of our operations in sales,management, operations, purchasing, etc.

If you are interested in joining our team,visit our website at www.bc.com/careers tolearn more about our company and current jobopenings.

If you’d like to learn more, please contactus by faxing or emailing your interest to 208-331-5886 or [email protected]’d like to hear from you!

LUMBER TRADERWe are a wholesale lumber company looking

for an experienced trader. Any species. Norestrictions on mills or customers. No reloca-tion. 60% split for trader. Call John at LakesideLumber at (623) 566-7100 or [email protected].


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

Southern Cypress Manufacturers Association – March 10, annu-al meeting, Renaissance Hotel, Tampa, Fl.; (412) 323-9320;www.cypressinfo.org.

Northwestern Lumber Association – March 10-11, Nebraska lum-ber dealers convention, Embassy Suites, La Vista, Nb.; (763)544-6822; www.nlassn.org.

Hardwood Manufacturers Association – March 10-12, nationalconference & expo, Renaissance Hotel, Tampa, Fl.; (412) 829-0770; www.hmamembers.org.

ENAP Inc. – March 11-12, annual meeting & show, Marriott Down-town, Louisville, Ky.; (845) 564-4900; www.enap.com.

National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association –March 15-17, legislative conference & green building forum,Marriott, Washington, D.C.; (800) 634-8645; www.dealer.org.

Window & Door Manufacturers Assn. – March 15-18, legislativeconference, Washington, D.C.; (800) 223-2301; www.nwwda.org.

Capitol Industrial Woodworking Expo – March 18-19, Fredricks-burg, Va.; (828) 459-9894; www.capitolwoodexpo.com.

Blish-Mize Co. – March 19-20, market, Overland Park ConventionCenter, Overland Park, Ks.; (800) 995-0525; www.blishmize.com.

True Value Co. – March 19-21, spring market, McCormick Place,Chicago, Il.; (773) 695-5000; www.truevaluecompany.com.

National Wood Flooring Association – March 22-25, conference &wood flooring expo, Gaylord National, Washington, D.C.; (800)422-4556.

American Architectural Manufacturers Association – March 23-24, Southeast region spring meeting, Hyatt Regency Riverwalk,San Antonio, Tx.; (847) 303-5664.

Moulding & Millwork Producers Assn. – March 23-27, annualmeeting, Monterey, Ca.; (800) 550-7889; www.wmmpa.com.

Kentucky Forest Industries Assn. – March 24-26, annual meeting,Bowling Green, Ky.; (800) 203-9217; www.kfia.org.

North American Wholesale Lumber Association – March 24-26,spring conference, Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans, La.; (800)527-8258; www.nawla.org.

JLC Live Show – March 24-27, Rhode Island Conference Center,Providence, R.I.; (800) 261-7769; www.jlclive.com.

Ace Hardware Corp. – March 25-28, spring market, Ernest N.Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, La.; (630) 990-7662;www.acehardware.com.

Amarillo Hardware – March 26-27, dealer market, Amarillo CivicCenter, Amarillo, Tx.; (800) 949-4722; www.ahcusa.com.

International Wood Composites Symposium & TechnicalWorkshop – March 29-31, Seattle, Wa.; (509) 335-2262.

National Hardwood Lumber Association – March 29-April 1, lum-ber grading course, Sidney, Mi.; (901) 377-1818; www.nhla.com.

Florida Building Material Association – April 1-2, Texas Hold-Em& Golf Tournament, Golden Hills Golf & Turf Club, Ocala, Fl.;(352) 383-0366; www.fbma.org.

Northeastern Retail Lumber Association – April 5-7, dealerroundtables, Rochester, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.

Vermont Retail Lumber Dealers Assn. – April 6, Lobby Day,Capitol Plaza, Montpelier, Vt.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.

Lumbermen’s Association of Texas – April 8-10, annual conven-tion, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, Tx.;(800) 749-5862; www.lat.org.

National Hardwood Lumber Association – April 11-14, leadershipprogram, Memphis, Tn.; April 12-15, lumber grading course,Connellsville, Pa.; (901) 377-1818; www.nhla.com.

DATE Book National Paint & Coatings Association – April 13-15, annualmeeting & technical conference, Charlotte, N.C.; (202) 462-6272.

Northeast Window & Door Association – April 14, spring educa-tion meeting, Washington, D.C.; (609) 799-4900; www.nwda.net.

Northeastern Young Lumber Execs – April 14, board meeting;April 15, spring conference, Mashantucket, Ct.; (518) 286-1010;www.nrla.org.

National Kitchen & Bath Assn. – April 16-18, annual show,McCormick Place, Chicago, Il.; (800) 843-6522; www.nkba.org.

American Hardware Manufacturers Association – April 18-21,hardlines technology forum, Renaissance Hotel, Schaumburg, Il.;(847) 605-1025; www.ahma.org.

Transload Distribution Assn. – April 19-20, conference, Double-Tree, San Antonio, Tx.; (503) 656-4282; www.transload.org.

Structural Insulated Panel Assn. –April 19-22, annual conference,Hilton Indian Lakes, Chicago, Il.; (253) 858-7472; www.sips.org.

Forest Products Society – April 20-22, Smallwood conference, HotSprings, Ar.; (608) 231-1361; www.forestprod.org.

Kentucky Building Materials Association – April 21-23, conven-tion & expo, Lexington Hilton Downtown, Lexington, Ky.; (800)844-1774; www.kbma.net.

Woodworking Machinery Industry Assn. – April 21-24, confer-ence, Monterey, Ca.; (410) 931-8100; www.wmia.org.

Material Handling Industry of America – April 26-29, annual expo,I-X Center, Cleveland, Oh.; (704) 676-1190; www.mhia.org.

Twin Cities Hoo-Hoo Club – April 27, dinner & meeting, Grumpy’s,Roseville, Mn.; (612) 490-8583.

International Wood Products Association – April 28-30, annualconvention, Eden Roc Hotel, Miami Beach, Fl.; (703) 820-6696;www.iwpawood.org.


Advantage Trim & Lumber [www.advantagelumber.com]..........23

Anthony Forest Products [www.anthonyforest.com] ...................8

Biewer Lumber [www.biewerselect.com].......................................5

Capital [www.capital-lumber.com]................................................36

Chicago Suburban Lumber Sales .................................................25

Coastal Lumber Co. [www.coastallumber.com] ............................2

Crumpler Plastic Pipe [www.cpp-pipe.com] ................................45

Fasco America [www.fascoamerica.com]....................................26

Fiberon LLC [www.fiberondecking.com] .....................................21

Fletcher Wood Solutions [www.tenonusa.com] ..........................31

GRK Fasteners [www.grkfasteners.com].....................................22

Haida Forest Products [www.haidaforest.com]...........................27

Hankins Inc. [www.hankinsinc.com] ............................................17

HIDfast [www.hid-fast.com]...........................................................19

Hood Distribution [www.hooddistribution.com]..........................19

Mary’s River Lumber [www.marysriverlumber.com] ..................30

McQuesten Group ..........................................................................19

Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Co.[www.plmins.com] ....................................................................24

Redwood Empire [www.redwoodemp.com] .......................CoverIV

Richard Landry Lumber Sales Inc. ...............................................43

RoyOMartin [www.royomartin.com] .......................................33, 35

Simpson Strong-Tie [www.strongtie.com]...............................3, 32

Tank Fab [www.tankfab.com]........................................................37

U.S. Lumber Group [www.uslumber.com] ...........................Cover I

Versatex [www.versatex.com].............................................Cover III

Viance [www.treatedwood.com] .....................................................7

Western Red Cedar Lumber Association [www.wrcla.org] ........29

Wilson Lumber Co. [www.cypressusa.com]................................34

ADVERTISERS Index For more information on advertisers, call them

directly or visit their websites [in brackets].

IDEA FileDiving into a Store-within-a-Store

With swimming pools aplenty in its desertsurroundings, Ace Hardware, Maricopa, Az., hasalways stocked cleaning and maintenance supplies. Yetthe dealer is really hoping to make a splash when itopens a full service, seven-day-a-week pool supplystore within its existing hardware store.

“We have had a pool section for years now, but itseems each year the section just continued to grow,”says co-owner Tom Bechtel. Now, “we are going tohave repair parts, water testing chemicals, toys and out-door living items. This is a store within a store.”

He hopes that the shop’s higher visibility and conve-nience will increase business in the main store, as well.“Our whole slogan is ‘Get In, GetOut, And Get On With YourDay,’” Bechtel elaborates.“This store just furthersupports that statement.”

To help operate thenew store, Bechtelrecruited two profession-als from the pool industryand has started to cross-train other workers from thehardware store. “The people run-ning this store are experts in their craft,” he says.

Services to be offered include water testing, supplysales, and equipment repair. “Typical pool stores haverelatively short hours and are not open on Sundays,”Bechtel notes. “Our pool store will be open seven daysa week, the same hours as the Ace Hardware store.”

Although an official grand opening is set for thismonth, the pool store hosted a “soft opening” duringFebruary, utilizing its own check-out counter.

Defining Clear Financial Policies(Continued from page 31)

due at the beginning of the service, one-third halfwaythrough the project, and the balance at delivery. If the workis done in two procedures, then either the entire amount isdue to begin, or split into two payments. For well-estab-lished clients with a great track record, consider half downand the balance in 90 days. During financial arrangements,present the client with a written estimate, have the customersign one copy, and keep one copy in the business record.

These are some of the guidelines you will need to definewith your team. There is much more to consider: verbalskills, past due accounts receivables, and how to connectwith the client, to express warmth, empathy and concern.Firm, consistent financial policies are just one layer of thecustomer service that your clients deserve and expect. Yourchallenge is to have an open, honest, productive team meet-ing and look at your financial policies. How healthy is yourbusiness?

– Dr. Rhonda Savage is an internationally acclaimed speakerand c.e.o. Contact her at [email protected].


4500 Campus Dr. No. 480Newport Beach, Ca. 92660-1872

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building products digest - march 2010

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