hm - June11 - cover.indd - National Hardwood Lumber Association

PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE
THE WORLD IS GETTING SMALLER
BY THE DAY
While progress and more specifically “technological advances” are created to make
life easier and more productive, it seems the rapid changes within our world are also
giving birth to unintended consequences. Not many years ago barriers such as oceans
or mountains or merely sheer distances hampered the movement of our goods and
services. Most commerce was done within a nation or continent. Trade deficits were
not a problem, not even contemplated. Presently, if there is a concern or even perceived
concern in the Middle East, financial markets worldwide are negatively impacted.
Like it or not, we cannot go back. Markets are ever changing, competing products are
ever emerging, political differences are widening, and the hardwood industry must be
adaptive and forward thinking. Fear not, there are solutions, we do have advocates! I have
mentioned before and will continue stressing the importance of “strength in numbers
and in unity”. Again, like it or not, foreign markets have been and will remain crucial to
our success, even survivability. Our advocates, such as the American Hardwood Export
Council (AHEC) the Hardwood Federation (HF), and associations such as the National
Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) need our support. The time is long past where a
few very large companies can carry the load for all.
As I pen this letter on Our National Day of Prayer, I ask God to give each of us his
guidance and direction. I give Him thanks for our abundant resource of hardwoods.
I pray for our families and for those men and women serving our country, many in
harm’s way.
In closing, if the world is getting smaller by the day, why is it steadily costing more to
move ourselves and our products to the same places
Sincerely,
Dave B. Redmond
Highland Hardwood Sales, Inc.
Markets are ever changing,
competing products are
ever emerging, political
differences are widening,
and the hardwood industry
must be adaptive and
forward thinking.
4 JUNE 2011 HARDWOOD MATTERS WWW.NHLA.COM