Julie Kraus, CEO at Western States Propane

The year was 1993, and Julie Kraus, along with her husband, Mike, knew the local market needed a propane company dedicated to values, customer service and community relationships. Together, Julie and Mike opened Western States Propane in Elko, Nevada — the first of an eventual three locations.

Julie views her time with Western States Propane as a hands-on journey, building a thriving company from the ground up while being involved in every aspect of the business. As CEO, she stays true to the company’s core values of service, integrity and community commitment — an unwavering dedication to her original vision.

With almost 32 years in business and counting, Julie is no stranger to innovative thinking that fosters a work environment and customer retention strategy that sticks. In her view, innovation is about “finding better, smarter and often simpler ways to solve problems.”

“It is not always about creating something new; it can be improving an existing process, anticipating a customer’s unspoken need, or streamlining communication to reduce delays and confusion,” she says. “Innovation is driven by curiosity, practicality and a willingness to ask, ‘Why are we doing it this way, and can it be better?’”

Julie believes the key to natural innovation and new ideas is knowing how to prioritize. “Not every idea needs to be acted on right away, and some are better suited for later or not at all,” she explains. “I have learned to evaluate ideas based on their potential impact, alignment with our goals, and how they affect our team and customers. From there, we take a thoughtful, phased approach to testing and implementation.”

This line of thinking has led to solutions that drive efficiency and long-term sustainability at Western States Propane. Julie and her team let a balance of technology, foresight and customer needs guide their decisions today.

Julie also doesn’t underestimate the importance of educating customers and the community — not just about safety and the energy efficiency of propane, but also its evolving role in clean energy.

“I believe our commitment to community and client education is a core part of our success and relevance as a propane provider. That outreach — combined with a relentless focus on service — has helped us build trust and position propane as a smart, sustainable option. All these efforts reflect my belief that innovation … is about listening, adapting and leading with purpose,” she says.

Education continues to be of particular importance to Julie, as she works to ensure both she and her team stay informed on important industry topics and helps position propane as “clean, reliable, efficient and American-made” to her community.

Julie believes regulatory restrictions are one of the biggest obstacles to innovation in the industry. Part of the challenge, she says, is misconception and lack of awareness about how clean and versatile propane is, making it hard to build momentum and support.

“To overcome these challenges, we need a stronger, unified voice as an industry,” Julie says. “Propane has so much to offer the world, and I am committed to being part of the effort that ensures its continued relevance, sustainability and positive impact.”