Bennion Elected President of WPA

Members of the Western Pallet Association recently elected Kelly Bennion to lead the regional pallet trade group in 2006.

Kelly, who was elected president at the WPA annual meeting in January, is an owner of Challenger Pallet & Supply in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

The WPA members also elected for vice president Tom Thayer of United Wholesale Lumber Co. in Visalia, Calif. and for secretary-treasurer Ken Conklin of Shadybrook Lumber Products in North Plains, Ore.

Elected to a three-year term on the board of directors were: Ken Conklin, Stephan Harms of Pacific Pallet in Sumas, Wash., and Jeff Streadbeck of Pallet Express in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The following members were elected to a one-year term on the board: Jeff Calavan of Northwest Hardwoods in Eugene, Ore., Ian Carter of North American Nails in Hillsboro, Ore., Tye Winsor of Metolius Forest Products in Bend, Ore., and Jim Whiteside of Vandermeer Forest Products in North Vancouver, British Columbia.

Flowerree to Close Sierra Machinery

Ed Flowerree, owner of Sierra Machinery & Supply, has closed the company because of health reasons.

Ed started Sierra Pneumatic Tool Corp. in 1976 to distribute Aerosmith bulk nailing systems in the West. When Aerosmith’s patents and sales rights later were sold to a Swiss business, Ed changed the name of the company to Sierra Machinery & Supply.

Sierra’s line of machinery and equipment products expanded and at one point included Producto resaws.

Ed expressed his thanks to all the people who have trusted him and done business with him over the years.

"The pallet and box industries have been good to me," he said, "down to the last deck board nail I sold."