Kum & Go: We Go All Out!

Kyle Krause Named to Top 25 Most Influential

Kum & Go President Honored in ‘Power 25’ List of Convenience Store Industry Leaders

(West Des Moines, Iowa — Oct. 24, 2007) Kyle Krause, president and CEO of Kum & Go, L.C., one of the nation’s leading convenience store chains, has been named one of the top 25 most influential convenience store industry leaders by Convenience Store Decisions (CSD) magazine.

CSD magazine’s inaugural “Power 25” is a list of industry pioneers, association executives and lawmakers that are shaping the way the convenience store and petroleum industry operates. The Power 25 is an impressive honor because the executives and the companies they represent were selected directly by the hardworking professionals in the industry. More than 500 people voted online and via e-mail from Aug. 13 through Sept. 17. Krause was one of several major retailers and suppliers on the list, which also included New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Anheuser-Busch President August A. Busch IV.

“This is an incredible honor for me and my family,” said Krause, who is featured in the October issue of the magazine. “Our family started selling fruits and vegetables in Iowa 94 years ago. I grew up in a retail family and that was and is my passion. I had the wonderful opportunity to work with my grandfather and father as we have grown Kum & Go over the years. That opportunity is one that I truly treasure.”

Krause and the other business leaders in the Power 25 are recognized for the lasting contributions they have made to the convenience channel and the impact their influence has on determining the future of convenience retailing.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Iowa, Krause’s business drive and proven leadership quickly led him up the ranks at Kum & Go. In 1997, he became president of the convenience store chain and in 2004, took over as majority owner and CEO. When he took the helm in 2004, Kum & Go operated 309 stores. Today, the number of Kum & Go stores has grown to more than 450, located in 13 states.

In addition, Krause is chairman of Solar Transport, the largest Iowa-based refined fuel transporter, which operates in seven Midwest states. An avid sports fan, he purchased majority ownership of the Des Moines Menace Soccer team, part of the Premier Development League of the United Soccer Leagues, in 1998. Two years ago, he and his team entered another venture and launched AMICI espresso, a group of Italian-style coffee shops in central Iowa.

As Kum & Go has grown, Krause and his family have continued to give back to the community. Each year, at least 10 percent of the company’s profits are donated to charitable organizations. Personally, Krause has been active on numerous community boards and committees, such as being a committee leader for the Central Iowa United Way Campaign Committee and being the current co-vice chair of the Greater Des Moines Community Foundation Board. He currently holds position of chairman of the Krause Challenge, a nearly decade old educational investment-management program at the University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State University and Drake University founded by the Krause family.

In addition, Krause has received a NACS (National Association of Convenience Stores) Leadership MBA from the Fisher School of Business at Ohio State University.

In 1959 in Hampton, Iowa, company founders W. A. Krause and T.S. Gentle used the first letters of their last names to create a unique moniker to showcase the ease and convenience they instilled in a shopping experience. Thus Kum & Go was born. Since then, the convenience store chain has grown to more than 445 stores in 13 states (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Colorado, Arkansas, Wyoming and Wisconsin).