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 this 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.

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.