W.A. Krause Receives Prestigious NCEA Seton Award

Kum & Go Co-founder Honored for His Lifelong Contributions to Education and Youth

(West Des Moines, Iowa — Oct. 24, 2007)  W.A. “Bill” Krause, co-founder of Kum & Go, L.C., one of the nation’s leading convenience store chains, has been named a 2007 honoree of the National Catholic Educational Association’s highest honor — the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award.

The national award is presented annually to individuals whose personal or professional philanthropy or volunteer service has impacted Catholic education and our country’s youth. The award is named after St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774 – 1821), in recognition of her lifelong dedication to teaching. Many regard Seton as the founder of the U.S. Catholic school network.

The committee, which selected Krause, looks for awardees whose contributions to education and youth have been major and far-reaching. Krause was one of five 2007 honorees who received a $1,000 scholarship presented in their honor to a deserving Catholic school student from their community. Krause accepted the award during the NCEA’s 17^th annual award dinner and ceremony held earlier this month in Washington, D.C.

“We are grateful for all of the benefactors who support Catholic education, but Bill is a special angel for the way his personal and financial support have helped specific schools,” said Dr. Karen Ristau, NCEA president. “We at NCEA value his friendship and were pleased to recognize his efforts at the national level.”

Krause, chairman of Krause Gentle Corp., has long served on many philanthropic boards and has given significant support to a number of community organizations. NCEA highlighted his work with Holy Family School, a Des Moines school serving a diverse, low-income population where more than 70 percent of the students are on free and reduced lunch programs. A majority of the students’ families speak English as a second language and more than 60 percent of the students are first in their families to be educated beyond grade school.

Krause’s relationship with Holy Family School began in 1996 when he was asked by the principal to speak to students. He agreed and taught eighth-graders the Junior Achievement curriculum every Friday for several years. Over time, Krause invited his employees to visit the school and work with the class.

Krause has also rallied others to help the school, and the results have been outstanding. Enrollment at the school has increased, mostly in part, because of Krause’s support of a capital campaign, which created an endowment that is now close to $3 million. The endowment provides significant financial support to the school and parents for tuition assistance. Krause also helps with regular fundraising efforts, including a school-sponsored golf outing and auction.

Holy Family School is a success story. Because of Krause’s leadership and philanthropy, the school has survived and injects life into a struggling community of Des Moines.

“We don’t often see benefactors involved in the classroom,” Ristau said. “From his experience in working with eighth-graders at Holy Family, Bill saw a need firsthand and did something about it — not just in generalities, but also in specific assistance to Holy Family School and Dowling Catholic High School.”

At Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, Krause serves on the Honorary Foundation Board and is a regular supporter of Annual Appeal. He is a supporter of the school’s annual golf outing to raise money for financial aid, and he gave significant support in 2001 to create a plan for enhanced teacher compensation. Each year, Krause sponsors the high school’s Jennie Lillis Scholarship, which gives $2,500 each to two students who exemplify leadership and dedication. This spring, Krause and his family donated $3 million to the high school’s “We Believe” capital campaign to renovate classrooms. It was the largest single gift in school history.

Krause Seton Scholar

Jessica Nguyen, an 11^th-grade student at Dowling Catholic High School, received the $1,000 Krause Seton Scholarship. Nguyen serves her school community by volunteering as a peer helper, providing academic tutoring to students in need. She also serves as a Vietnamese interpreter as part of the school’s Ambassador Program.