SAVE THE DATE!
 
July 9 - Fraud Prevention Webinar
October 4-9 - 2015 Mill Tour -
Complete information in this newsletter
October 28-30 - ProDealer Industry Summit - Colorado Springs, Colorado 
November 5-6 - MLA Fall Fling - Branson, Missouri 

Visit www.TheMLA.com for more information!


OUR SPONSORS



Blish Mize



Westfall GMC

GSWP-Yellawood
Associate Members

Associate members are an important part of the MLA mission. Do business with these members that support your Association!

All Season Bldg. Supply
Allied Building Stores
American Wholesale Corp.
BPI - Lumber & Engineered Wood
Blish-Mize Company
Bluelinx Corporation
BlueTarp Financial
Builders Material Company
CCM Countertop & Cabinet Mfg
Central Woodwork, Inc.
Continental Divide Fence
Dealers Choice Distribution
Delden Garage Doors, Inc.
Discovery Based Retail
DMSi Software
Do it Best Corporation
East Side Lumberyard Supply
Epicor Software
Federated Insurance
Forest Products Supply Co.
Georgia Pacific Wood Products, LLC
Great Southern Wood Preserving
Hardman Wholesale Co.
Hawkeye Building Distributors
HIAB USA, Inc.
Hixson Lumber Sales
Huttig Building Products
Jack Morgan Construction
James Hardie Building Products
Klauer Manufacturing Co.
Lee Wayne
Lumberyard Supply
Max USA
McCray Lumber Millwork
Mid-Am Building Supply
Modern Equip. Co., Inc. (MECO)
Monarch Cement Co.
Pennsylvania & Indiana Lumbermens 
        Mutual Insurance
PrimeSource Building Products
PWD, Inc.
Rollex Corp.
Schutte Lumber Company
Simpson Strong-Tie
Tamko Building Products
Tax Favored Benefits
Tennison Brothers, Inc.
Thomas Nielsen Wholesale
Timber Products, Inc.
Treeline Forest Products
USP Structural Connectors
Warrior Building Products
Western Builders Supply, Inc.
Westfall GMC Truck Center
Weyerhaeuser Co.

About Us
Mid-America Lumbermens Association (MLA) serves independent lumber and building material retailers in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma. We offer a variety of services and products to our members, as well as events throughout the year to provide educational and networking opportunities.

We're proud to be affiliated with the National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA), which gives us a connection to the industry at large and provides representation in Washington, D.C. on federal legislation and regulatory issues.
the last word
"You've got to go out on a limb sometimes because that's where the fruit is."

- Will Rogers   
Vol. 14, No. 13, June 29, 2015
Here's Your Mobile-Ready Newsletter!
You're receiving this online newsletter because you've subscribed through the MLA website (www.TheMLA.com) or you're an Association member. We'll send a new issue every two weeks to let you know what's happening in the industry, at your MLA, and in the world that affects your business. We welcome your opinions and ideas. If you have information you'd like to share with other members, we'd be happy to include it in our next issue. We welcome both personal and industry-related news - members would love to hear your news and views - so don't hesitate to email us with information.
MLA Office Closed on July 3
The MLA Office will be closed on Friday, July 3 so staff can celebrate Independence Day. We hope you and yours enjoy a safe and happy holiday - and we look forward to talking with you when we're back on July 6.
2015 Mill Tour for Dealers


Attached are the 2015 Mill Tour Brochure, Schedule at a Glance and the Registration Form for our 2015 Tennessee Mill Tour. The trip is over the dates of Sunday, October 4th - Friday, October 9th, starting in Nashville, Tennessee and traveling west to Memphis, Tennessee. We'll visit several building product manufacturing plants, while also taking in the sights of beautiful Tennessee.

Source: Northwestern Lumber Association, June 8, 2015

MLA 401(k) Plan for Members -
It's Worth a Look!

MLA has offered a "group" MLA 401(k) plan for members for over a year. It is saving participating dealers on their fees and enabling them to offer a great benefit to reward their loyal employees.  

 

If you haven't taken a serious look at this program, now would be a good time. Find out why smart dealers are making the move to the MLA program. Call the MLA Hotline at 800-747-6529, or click here to learn more. 

New Webinar Series on Fraud Prevention

 The Fraud Prevention webinar series - offered in conjunction with other building material associations - offers three separate programs, and two are still available. These webinars will be held on July 9 and July 23, and are priced at $69 each. All webinars will be held from 1 pm to 2 pm CDT and will be instructed by Terri Tucker, president of E-Cubed Consulting, LLC.

 

Click here for more information and a registration form. Plan to take advantage of these timely programs!

Have You Checked Out the MLA Online Campus?
Workplace Compliance Training Videos - ej4
Workplace Compliance Training Videos - ej4

The MLA Online Campus provides you and your employees with high-impact, "real-world" training that develops your leaders, retains your best people and increases your customer loyalty. Each employee has a unique username to access the campus, which houses more than 700 courses on customer service, sales, leadership and more. Learn more.



Other Articles of Interest

 Interested in NLBMDA's Political Activity? Complete a Prior Approval Form Today!The Lumber Dealers Political Action Committee (LuDPAC), the political action committee of the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA), has important information to share with you about their political activities. However, your written permission is needed before we can send this information. This in no way obligates you to contribute to LuDPAC. Click here to fill out your Prior Approval Form.

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Eye on the Economy...The pace of housing construction slowed in May, after a post-winter rebound in April. However, forward-looking indicators, most notably the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index and the expansion of housing permits, suggest more growth ahead. Read more.

Source: NAHB, June 17, 2015

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For Cities, Big-Box Stores Are Becoming Even More of a Terrible Idea... Big-box retailers' new tactic to slash their taxes is the latest example of why cities are better off saying no to the boxes and cultivating Main Streets instead. Read more. Source: Olivia LaVecchia, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, June 16, 2015

Many thanks to Randy Stricker and Susan Thorne for sharing this information. Do you have an article that would be of interest to other MLA members? We're happy to receive your contributions!

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Rick Davis to Speak at ProDealer Industry Summit...Rick Davis' presentation at the 2015 ProDealer Industry Summit describes the way to shift from after-the-fact, results-based leadership to leadership by performance objectives that produce predictable sales results. Click here for more information about speakers at this year's conference, October 28-30, in Colorado Springs.

Source: NLBMDA, June 25, 2015

A Vision for the Next Generation
Some business owners procrastinate or avoid communicating their succession plans because they fear how family members and employees may react. However, their silence may actually create more stress and cause harm to the business. Most employees - including family members - will feel more secure about the future if they know what to expect and how they will fit in. Read more.

This article provided courtesy of Federated Mutual Insurance Company, your association's recommended insurer.