Tom Bryant NEVER responded. Michael Quinn eventually replaced Tom Bryant and after a few attempts, I finally reached him by phone. CEO Quinn sounded extremely busy, so as quickly as possible, I brought him up to speed. He asked who I had spoken with on this matter and I told him VP's Bernie Boglioli, Cedric Bryant and Lee Rawls. He said he needed to consult with Boglioli since he's the only one of the three still with the company. I STRONGLY urged him NOT to since VP Boglioli is the one that JACKED UP things from the very start. CEO Quinn gave me his Email address so I could send him the link http://bulzi.org/rackitdoor.html to bring him fully into the loop.

A couple of weeks went by before CEO Quinn called me back. CEO's Bryant and Wanat never even acknowledged I was trying to contact them. CEO Quinn said StairMaster was in the process of being sold due to bankruptcy. He went on to say that despite my PATENT, StairMaster's POLICY, Rutledge Capital's PRINCIPLES and the ENTANGLED history of events and circumstances that lead to the phone call, he didn't think there was anything StairMaster should do. Ironically he later mentioned, "StairMaster has done licensing agreements many times in the past," yet didn't have an answer to the question, "What makes my product different?" All he would say was he would know more about StairMaster's fate in the next two to three weeks and that I could file a claim if I chose to. CEO Quinn ended by saying, "I wish you hadn't put the story out on your website, but I guess that's the freedom of speech."

I then POUNDED the following points:

1. I invented a "hand and glove" product;
2. My partner and I met with VP Boglioli at StairMaster headquaters in Kirkland, WA;
3. That meeting ended with a handshake and promise of a "buyout letter of agreement" since the company's POLICY is to "own instead of buy;"
4. The letter never came;
5. Months later, the reason given was "...don't want the console covered with a magazine or water close to it;"
6. My company continued developing and patenting the product;
7. We met with VP Bryant and VP Boglioli to propose a BUSINESS SOLUTION to patent infringement, since both companies were represented by the same intellectual property firm;
8. The words "patent infringement" made both VPs EXTREMELY NERVOUS, but they said we would get the opportunity to present the proposal to the company's "New Product Council;"
9. Instead of getting that opportunity, I got a letter from Cedric Bryant;
10. Despite the letter saying, "...does not feel your product is a strategic fit...," my product continues to be a PERFECT FIT.

However all CEO Quinn would say was, "StairMaster is being bought and until then, there's not much I can say or do." StairMaster was purchased by Direct Focus of Vancouver, WA on February 13, 2002. Hopefully Direct Focus' CEO/Chairman Brian Cook will be open to meeting and resolving this matter quickly and quietly for everyone's benefit.