Kum & Go Titan W.A. ‘Bill’ Krause Dies

Entrepreneur W.A. “Bill” Krause, co-founder of the Kum & Go convenience stores and an unflinching Iowa Hawkeye supporter, died Wednesday morning at his West Des Moines home at the age of 78.

Krause, who along with his father-in-law T.S. Gentle, is credited with pioneering the convenience store format in 1959, when they founded what became one of the largest convenience store chains in the Midwest, the Des Moines Register reported.

“He ranks among the best businessmen in Des Moines,” developer William C. Knapp told the Register.

The convenience store chain is now led by Krause's son, Kyle, of Waukee, who is the company's president and CEO. Kum & Go opened a new store in Waukee in early February at 400 Prairie Bluff Drive that offers made-to-order pizzas, breakfast and deli sandwich and other treats made on-site in the store's kitchen.

The new store on the north side of Interstate 80 at Exit 117 replaced an older store that was located south of that exit at 33083 Ute Ave., the company said. The new store brought Kum & Go’s presence to three stores in Waukee and to 155 stores throughout Iowa.

Krause was also a big Iowa Hawkeye booster with his wife, Nan. They gave $5 million to the Kinnick Stadium renovation and he received a distinguished alumni award from the university in 2000.

He served on the university’s Tippie College of Business Advisory Board, where his guidance and support made the College of Business “a better place,” said Dean Sarah Gardial.