William H. Kraus has been named the new executive director of Housing, Health and Human Services Alliance of Rutherford County (H3ARC).

Kraus, who comes to Murfreesboro with a strong background in senior level management for a variety of nonprofit associations, public agencies, and higher education, assumed his role as executive director on Sept. 4.

“We are delighted to welcome an effective leader with the caliber of experience in managing non-profit organizations that meet the needs of underserved populations,” said John Callow, director of Community Development for the City of Murfreesboro. “We are confident that Kraus will be able to bring together the various public and non-profit organizations and citizens working to address homelessness in Rutherford County.”

In his role as executive director for H3ARC, Kraus will build connections and support from the variety of agencies currently serving low income and homeless populations in Rutherford County, including United Way, Salvation Army, Journey Home, Greenhouse Ministries, and Family Promise, as well as the many public-sector services in local, state and federal government.

Effective fundraising in the nonprofit sector, working with HUD and community agencies, has been one of Kraus’s major career achievements.

Kraus mostly recently served as program director for Daymar College in Murfreesboro where he was responsible for managing the Business Management/Criminal Justice program and received the “Most Outstanding Adjunct Faculty” award from Motlow State Community College.

He spent 25 years serving as City Manager for six small to mid-sized California and Tennessee communities, including Oak Hill, Tennessee from August 2003-June 2008. Kraus has taught a wide array of graduate public administration and undergraduate business courses since 2003 for Tennessee State University, Strayer University, Argosy University, Bethel University, Martin Methodist College, and Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

From 1983 to 2003, his professional service includes executive director of the American Lupus Society, California Dietetic Association, and Long Beach Research Foundation; and general manager of several California homeowners associations with responsibility for managing large condominium associations.

As an active community volunteer, Kraus has been a member of the Brentwood Morning Rotary Club, the Lupus Foundation of America, and California Dietetic Association.

Kraus holds a doctorate in Public Administration from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles in 1975, a Master of Science in both Urban Studies and Public Administration, and a B.A. in Political Science, 1960. Kraus, who is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, spent most of his life in Southern California. He currently resides in Brentwood.