The St. Louis Family Business Welcomes Its Fourth Generation of Leadership and a New Line of Color Matched Grills

by Craig Kaminer / photo by Suzy Gorman and additional photos courtesy of True Manufacturing

In the heart of St. Louis, the Trulaske family has cultivated a legacy of innovation and excellence through their stewardship of True Manufacturing Company.

Founded in 1945 by Robert J. Trulaske Sr., along with his father, Francis Robert Trulaske Jr., and brother, Arthur Trulaske, the company began as a modest enterprise funded solely by Robert Sr.'s savings from his service as a World War II pilot. Over the decades, True Manufacturing has flourished into a global leader in commercial refrigeration, renowned for its vertically integrated manufacturing and commitment to both quality and service.

Kay Trulaske and Steven Trulaske Jr. (foreground).

Robert J. Trulaske Sr. was born on April 29, 1918, in St. Louis. After graduating from the University of Missouri's business school (which now bears the Trulaske family name) in 1940, he worked for Procter & Gamble until World War II interrupted his career. As a combat pilot in the European theater, Robert Sr. flew C-47s with the 9th Air Force, participating in pivotal battles such as D-Day. Upon returning home, he married Geraldine Mae Mellor and, in September 1945, co-founded True Manufacturing Company. The firm quickly gained recognition as a leading manufacturer in the food-service and soft drink industries worldwide.

After decades perfecting refrigeration, True Manufacturing’s new line brings heat to the patio with the Rockwell Social Grill, created in conjunction with California-based Caliber.

Robert Sr.'s dedication to his employees was evident through his extensive engagement with the needs and recommendations of his employees. This fostered a culture of loyalty and mutual respect within the company. This ethos of valuing human capital became a cornerstone of True Manufacturing's corporate philosophy.

The entrepreneurial spirit of the Trulaske family continued with Robert's sons, Robert J. Trulaske Jr. and Steven Lee Trulaske Sr., who joined the family business after graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1971. As President of True Food Service, Rob Jr. started and led the division that manufactured coolers for restaurants and chains, still the largest division at True, significantly contributing to the company's growth. In 2004, Rob Jr. ascended to the role of CEO, further solidifying True Manufacturing's industry leadership.

Three generations of Trulaske men: Robert Trulaske Sr., Steven Trulaske Sr., Steven Trulaske Jr in 1995.

Steven Lee Trulaske Sr., on the other hand, initially pursued interests outside the family business. A passionate athlete, he played football at DePauw University and considered a career in sports administration. However, after earning his MBA and spending a semester in Germany, Steven Sr. developed a keen interest in international business. In the 1980s, he joined True Manufacturing, focusing on expanding the company's international presence. For over a decade he traveled extensively, establishing business in countries such as Spain, Korea and Canada. Today, True has 14 offices and warehouses worldwide and exports to more than 100 countries.

Under the leadership of Steven Sr., True Manufacturing has prioritized innovation and sustainability. Recognizing the importance of energy efficiency, the company made significant strides in reducing kilowatt consumption and adopting environmentally friendly technologies. A notable achievement was the transition to natural refrigerant R290, a purified propane, positioning True as a pioneer in green refrigeration. Additionally, in 2014, the company partnered with Missouri's Brightergy to install solar power systems on 23 of its buildings, reducing carbon emissions by over 1.1 million pounds annually.

The legacy of innovation continues with the fourth generation of Trulaskes, particularly Steven Trulaske Jr. and Kay Trulaske, children of True CEO Steven Trulaske Sr.

Steven Trulaske Jr., serves as the Business Development Manager for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regions at True Manufacturing. In this role, Steven Jr. focuses on expanding the company's presence and fostering relationships within these key markets.

Kay Trulaske, Steven Jr.'s sister, has made her mark as brand manager and Manhattan sales representative for True Residential, the luxury division of the company. Since joining in 2020, she has led product development and launch strategies, managed digital branding efforts and built strong relationships with key designers and dealers in the New York area. Her leadership was instrumental in launching True Residential’s first dedicated showroom in the Architects & Designers Building in Manhattan. Recognized as one of the National Kitchen & Bath Association's 30 Under 30 in 2025, Kay brings a fresh, design-focused perspective to the family business while upholding the commitment to quality and innovation that defines the Trulaske legacy.

“It’s rare and really special to be able to work with family - especially when you respect them as much as I do,” Kay says. “My dad has this incredible long-view perspective from decades of running the company and Steven Jr. is always thinking about what’s next - how we grow, how we evolve. I feel lucky to not only shape the brand’s future alongside them - but to honor and grow upon the extraordinary legacy.”

In February 2025, True Residential announced a strategic partnership with Caliber, a California-based brand renowned for its high-performance, design-forward grills. This joint venture marks a key moment for True, blending its luxury refrigeration expertise with Caliber’s innovation in outdoor cooking to offer a complete, elevated outdoor kitchen experience.

As part of the agreement, True Residential will become the sole manufacturer of Caliber grills, bringing the design, engineering and production of the award-winning product line under the True umbrella. The partnership is poised to transform the category - not just by expanding product offerings, but by leveraging True’s robust infrastructure and market reach.

Refrigerator drawers border the Rockell Social Grill.

“Everything moves to the True distribution network,” says Steven Trulaske Jr., the fourth-generation family member who played a key role in executing the deal. “That’s why this was such a good opportunity for us - because Caliber, historically, was super low volume and they didn’t have a large sales network. They used distributors to sell their product to the dealers. That’s how we knew we had the manufacturing capability. We knew we had our sales force going out and calling on customers every day to really take this brand and product to a whole other level.”

The first product of this new partnership is the Rockwell Social Grill, a 360-degree walk-around design by architect David Rockwell. Fully customizable and featuring a disappearing lid, the Rockwell grill merges aesthetic sophistication with chef-grade performance. Built with True’s signature 300-series stainless steel, it reflects the company’s commitment to craftsmanship and durability.

By combining Caliber’s design edge with True’s precision manufacturing and national sales force, the partnership unlocks massive potential in the outdoor living space - a segment already seeing explosive growth as more homeowners invest in high-end entertaining environments.

As True Manufacturing approaches its 80th anniversary, the Trulaske family's dedication to excellence, innovation and sustainability remains unwavering. With the active involvement of the fourth generation, including Steven Jr. and Kay, the company is well-positioned to navigate the evolving demands of the industry while staying true to the principles established by Robert J. Trulaske Sr. The strategic partnership with Caliber Grills exemplifies True's forward-thinking approach, ensuring that the brand continues to set the standard in both commercial and residential refrigeration and grilling.

The True Residential Caliber Rockwell outdoor kitchen found in a mountain retreat.

“It honestly feels like we're just getting started,” Steven Jr. says with Kay agreeing. “There are so many new markets and products that we're going into, whether that's our commercial ice machines, we have a new True Scientific line and we have a new endless case retail supermarket solution cabinet. Our international business is growing - there's so much opportunity in Latin America, the Middle East and Europe.

“Then in the past five years, residential has really taken off,” he continues. “We're throwing Caliber into the mix of that. My dad has done an unbelievable job of diversifying the business; creating new products and creating new markets. We're going into markets that we've never been in before, like Scientific. There's a totally different way you go to market for [True] Scientific than you do for food service. And so, we really expect the company to continue to grow.

“That's our family's mantra right now, diversifying and growing the business. When you diversify, you become more resilient.”

The Next Generation of Cool is Hot