Subsequent to receiving a Bachelor of Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1941, John W. Kraus was employed by TRW, Inc., in Cleveland, Ohio, as an industrial engineer. Advancing through the ranks to industrial engineer manager until his resignation from the company in 1961, he thereafter served Atomics International in Chatsworth, California, as a special assistant for the following four years. From 1966 to 1974, Mr. Kraus excelled as branch chief of the McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company in Huntington Beach, California, and from 1975 to 1983, he flourished as president of Kraus and DuVall, Inc., in Santa Ana, California. Congruent to these roles, he was a consultant for the Technology Associates of Southern California from 1974 to 1975.
Prior to his retirement in 1993, Mr. Kraus was the senior manager of the McDonnell Douglas Space Systems Company for one decade beginning in 1983. Post-retirement, he continues to serve as chairman of the Heritage Society of the Friends of Oasis beginning in 2015, secretary of the Class of 1941 for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology beginning in 2008, and director and staff commodore of the Oasis Sailing Club beginning in 1996, among other prominent roles. In years past, he was a lecturer at the Northrop Institute of Technology and secretary-treasurer of the Resident Association at the Atria Senior Plaza.
Drawing upon an MBA from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles from 1972, Mr. Kraus has exemplified versatility in his profession by authoring “Handbook of Reliability Engineering and Management” in 1988. He has also maintained affiliation with numerous industry-related organizations, such as the American Defense Preparedness Association (now known as the National Defense Industries Association), with whom he is recognized as a life member and previously served as chairman of the Technical Division. Furthermore, he is a life member of the National Society of Professional Engineers.
Although his career has been abound with highlights, Mr. Kraus is especially proud of solving a dilemma that caused fuel pumps and engines to fail during liftoff while aiding the crew of Rocketdyne’s North American Aviation Division during his time spent with TRW, Inc. Likewise, he was instrumental in altering the protective packaging for the military. In addition to these feats, he is also humbled by the opportunities presented to him by Friends of Oasis, for whom he served as chairman of the Heritage Society, the website committee and the bylaws committee; member of the legacy committee; and director of the new building committee.