Aug 1, 2008 12:00 PM

By 1994, chefs in private dining clubs and upscale hotels throughout Texas were well acquainted with the name Bertrand. Rather than reinvent the wheel, he named his company Bertrand's and started his company with about $40,000. In just two years, company sales already had totaled $1 million.

“I started my business to build a successful company,” he says. “Success, however, isn't just measured in dollars. I have been blessed with much, and I need to give back as well.”

While vacationing at resort, Bertrand met the owner of a cement company who explained to him why he was committed to supporting medical research to find a cure for breast cancer. The cement company owner told Bertrand about his decision to paint some of his trucks pink.

After learning about the mission of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and National Philanthropic Trust to fund important breast cancer research, education, screening, and treatment, Bertrand decided to follow suit with one of his trucks after talking with some of his equipment suppliers. W&B Service Company in Houston painted the box for Bertrand. Hayes Truck Group in Houston put together the specifications for the truck. Adzact Custom Signs in Houston provided the graphic design. Bertrand recently displayed the truck at the Texas Restaurant Association Southwest FoodService Expo in Houston.