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Vol. 16, No. 1, January 9, 2017 
MLA LINE
Lumber Industry News Express
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Members

All Season Bldg. Supply
Allied Building Stores, Inc.
American Wholesale Corp.
Biz Lender
Blish-Mize Company
Bluelinx Corporation
BlueTarp Financial Inc.
Boral Light Building Products
BPI - Lbr & Engineered Wood
Builders Material Company
CCM Countertop & Cabinet 
Cedar Creek LLC - St. Louis 
Continental Divide Fence
Dealers Choice Distribution
Delden Mfg. Co., Inc.
Discovery-Based Retail
DMSi Software
Do It Best Corp
ECI Spruce Computer Systems
Epicor Software
Federated Insurance
Forest Products Supply Co.
Frontier Forest Products, Inc.
Great Southern Wood Pres.
Guardian Building Products
Hardman Wholesale Co.
Hawkeye Bldg Dist., Ltd
Hiab USA, Inc.
Hixson Lumber Sales
Huttig Building Products
James Hardie Bldg Products
Klauer Manufacturing Co.
Lumber Merchandising Corp. (LMC) 
MAX USA Corp.
Metal Sales Mfg. Corp.
Mid-Am Building Supply, Inc.
MiTek Builder Products   
Modern Equip. Co., Inc. (MECO Omaha)
Monarch Cement Company
Pennsylvania & Indiana Lumbermens Mutual Ins. Co. 
PrimeSource Bldg Products
PWD, Inc.
Rader Solutions
Rollex Corp
Schutte Lumber Company
Simpson Strong-tie Co Inc
Tamko Building Products, Inc.
Tax Favored Benefits
Tennison Brothers, Inc.
The Empire Company LLC
Thomas Nielsen Wholesale 
Timber Products, Inc.
Treeline Forest Products LLC
USP Structural Connectors
Warrior Building Products
Western Builders Supply, Inc.
Westfall GMC Truck Center
Wingate Sales Solutions, Inc.

Please patronize these companies that support your Association! 

________________________
The Last Word
"A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes."
-- Charles Spurgeon
Register Now for Kansas Winter Meeting!

Hyatt Wichita
Plan now to attend the Kansas Winter Meeting, January 19-20, in Wichita, Kansas. This year's host is Mike Lamm, Federated Insurance, and you can look forward to all the fun, learning and camaraderie you've come to expect from this gathering. All MLA members are invited to participate - whether you're from Kansas or not. Click here for complete information and a registration form.
Missouri Minimum Wage Increases to $7.70 in 2017
 
Employers engaged in retail or service businesses whose annual gross income is less than $500,000 are not required to pay the state minimum wage rate. Employers not subject to the minimum wage law can pay employees wages of their choosing. For more information, please contact the  United States Department of Labor.
 
All employers subject to any provisions of the law shall post a summary of the law and regulations. The Division of Labor Standards has created a summary to post for the convenience of Missouri employers. You also may print a Spanish Minimum Wage Summary Poster. Please post the summary in a conspicuous and accessible place at the business. Click here for current poster.
 
Source: Missouri Division of Labor Standards
New Form I-9 Takes Effect Soon

The U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services recently released a new Form I-9 to take effect on January 21, 2017. Failure of an employer to ensure proper completion and retention of Form I-9 for applicable personnel may subject the employer to new higher civil money penalties of up to $2,156 per I-9, and, in some cases, criminal penalties. You can begin using the new form immediately, or continue to use the older version, but as of January 21st, the new form must be used. Click here for new form.

Administration and Congress Plan Ambitious Agenda for 2017

The start of 2017 will begin with a new Congress and Donald Trump set to be inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States (U.S.). Republicans will control both legislative chambers and the executive branch for the first time in 10 years.
House Republican leaders have planned an aggressive agenda in Trump's first year as president, and are looking at repealing Obama-era regulations, tax reform, major changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and an infrastructure spending package. Read more.
Source: Ben Gann, NLBMDA, January 6, 2016
Member News

Janell Shadduck - It is with sadness that we report Janell Shadduck of Pittsburgh, Missouri, passed away Friday, December 23, 2016 at Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach, Missouri.
Everyone involved with the Missouri Swing-into-Spring event knew Janell. She and husband Kirk (formerly of Quikrete) were chefs for the popular steak fry, and Janell was an avid "fisher-woman" winning the bass challenge on more than one occasion. Janell is survived by her husband, Kirk, her son Darren and wife Angie of Bentonville, Arkansas, and her daughter Marlana Massey and her husband Brian of Buckner, Missouri. Read more.
Lumber News - Quick Glimpses

This is the Sexy Industry... I'm tired of hearing our industry leaders complain about getting young people into the LBM business. They often lament that our industry isn't sexy. I disagree. I think that we offer one of the most exciting places to work, along with a career path that provides long-term security. You must proactively recruit young people-or face future consequences.   Read more .
Source: Rick Davis, ProSales Magazine, December 28, 2016 (Originally published November 26, 2014)
 
Buying Cooperatives Intend to Merge... Lumber & Building Material buying cooperatives,LBM Advantage and Independent Builders Supply Association (IBSA), have announced they have signed a Letter of Intent to merge. The companies enjoy strong dealer support throughout the East coast, Midwest and Southern markets. The Letter of Intent is non-binding and the merger requires approval by the shareholders of each cooperative as well as satisfactory completion of due diligence. Read more.
Source: LBM Advantage, January 5, 2017
 
Stanley Black & Decker to buy Craftsman... Sears Holdings plans to sell its Craftsman brand to tool giant Stanley Black & Decker for $550 million cash up front, $250 million at the end of year three, plus various annual payments. Hoffman Estates, Illinois-based Sears said the move is part of an effort to stabilize its operating performance. The struggling retailer also intends to close an additional 150 non-profitable stores - 109 of them under the Kmart banner. Read more.
Source: HBS Dealer Newsletter, January 5, 2017

Family Succession Planning

Parents want to see their children and grandchildren succeed. But, if the parents die, will that goal be met? Family succession planning using trusts can effectively help the next generation succeed by properly protecting their assets. Read more.

This article provided courtesy of Federated Mutual Insurance Company, your association's recommended insurer.
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  • Date and Time:
    Tuesday, January 17, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
  • Cost:Complimentary
  • Length: 30 minutes
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  • Advance Registration: Required; Click here for registration information
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