William A. Kroh, owner of marine auto terminal, dies

on Pratt Street.

"We always worked very closely and it was a wonderful relationship," said Mr. Gragge, who lives in Sperryville, Va.

He and his partner operated a business, R.G. Hobelmann, later Hobelmann Port Services. Over the years they formed business relationships with Chrysler, Toyota, Datsun, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Izusu, Jaguar, Saab and Opel. They built a large auto facility at the Chesapeake Terminal in Fairfield and operated the Atlantic Terminal near the northern portal of the Harbor Tunnel and a spot at the Dundalk Marine Terminal. Mr. Kroh also had built a second home in California to use as a base to entertain his Asian clients.

"He never forgot anybody," said Victor "Bruz" Frenkil, a close friend who lives in Baltimore County. "Bill Kroh liked everybody and was optimistic, sociable and generous. In business, he gambled big and made it big."

In 1988, Mr. Kroh announced that he had wooed Honda North America to his Baltimore terminal from Portsmouth, Va. Car manufacturers had moved to Virginia after complaining that spray paint and emissions from Baltimore shipbuilders were damaging their finishes on their cars.

He initially off-loaded and processed vehicles and expanded the business in three Baltimore locations and at ports in Norfolk, Tampa and Jacksonville. A 1998 Baltimore Sun story said the company handled imports and exports, including just about every Chrysler shipped overseas. At that time, about 95 percent of those Chrysler exports left the country through Baltimore, which ranked second to New York in total number of autos shipped.

His firm did more than take cars on and off ships. News stories said his employees applied coatings to the bodies and undercarriages, and installed stereo and air conditioning systems as well as additional seat belts required in Europe. Mr. Kroh oversaw the bar-coding and electronic tracking of the vehicles, and installed security cameras.

He had his workers who drove the cars wear one-piece clothing to reduce scratching of paint jobs. They also were not permitted to wear metal watches or jewelry.

Mr. Kroh was also part of a group of investors who purchased the McCulloch chain saw division from Black and Decker.

He sold the auto terminal business in 1996.

Mr. Kroh was successfully treated for colon cancer at Greater Baltimore Medical Center in 1979. In gratitude for his care at the hospital, he became a benefactor and joined its Foundation Board, of which he was later chairman. He and his wife endowed a center for digestive disorders. He also led a campaign that raised $35 million for the hospital.

"Bill was one of our staunchest supporters and one of the giants in the history of our health care system," said Dr. John B. Chessare, GBMC president.

Mr. Kroh and his wife enjoyed traveling aboard the Queen Elizabeth II. They also attended the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes, horse racing's Triple Crown.

Services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the Ruck Towson Funeral Home, 1050 York Road.

In addition to his wife of 51 years and his son, survivors include a daughter, Janet Kroh of Carlsbad, Calif.; and two granddaughters.

jacques.kelly@baltsun.com