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Corn-burning stove is hot Page 3 of 3 <br />are not yet complete. <br />"But I'm very optimistic," he said. "We definitely believe [the biomass pellet <br />process] will work." <br />He's not alone. Ron Musich, chairman of Blue Marlin Capital, a Golden Valley <br />investment company with a substantial stake in Bixby, said he has done a great <br />deal of research on alternative energy, "and I was singularly unimpressed until I <br />met Bob Walker." <br />"He has the fuel, he has the system to deliver it and he has the system for <br />burning it," Musich said. "He has it all." <br />Meanwhile, Walker is in his element. After starting Select Comfort in 1988, he <br />left it in 1993 to seek other challenges. His explanation: "I'm very good at <br />starting a company, but there are others who are more interested in running <br />them." <br />Walker has imposed an aggressive timetable on Bixby's growth: He plans to <br />have the new furnace in production, a pellet plant in operation and Step-Saver <br />ready for statewide operations by the end of 2008. <br />When that "model" proves the concept, he plans to license the technology <br />nationwide. <br />Meanwhile, Walker and his wife have cut back on fuel use at their dream home, <br />trimming their winter fuel costs to between $975 and $1,400 a month. So how <br />come he hasn't installed a MaxFire? <br />"Too much demand," he said. "My dealers would have my head if I took one off <br />the line. <br />"But when we install our first prototype of the central furnace system, guess <br />where it's going." <br />Dick Youngblood • 612-673-4439 • yblood(a~startribune.com <br />©2006 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. <br />http://www.startribune.com/539/v-print/story/408033.htm1 5/10/2006 <br />