NewBoCo Workiversary: Ben Kaplan

On January 17, Ben Kaplan celebrated one year at NewBoCo.

Before Ben officially joined the team, he was a freelance photographer and videographer, which included creating NewBoCo’s videos for Launch Day and other projects. He was also a key member of We Create Here powered by The Gazette, which was a journalistic engine for sharing stories of startups and the entrepreneurial ecosystem. He joined the NewBoCo team in 2017 as a videographer and photographer. Since then, he has produced beautiful videos and photos to promote NewBoCo events as well as writing content to help tell NewBoCo’s stories.

The NewBoCo team wanted to share a few of their favorite memories and traits to celebrate a year of Ben Kaplan.

1. Ben is incredibly competent. He can create amazing videos, take great pictures, and knows a ton about urban planning. He also has a really cute cat, which is a plus.
2. Ben has been around since I started at NewBoCo. I remember on my first day, he was the first person my age who I met (and the cutest). He ended up being my first real friend in Cedar Rapids, so I was super excited when he joined the team and I got to work with him every day.
3. Ben is always at the ready to have a good attitude and does good creative work.
4. Ben lights up every room he walks in, with his lively and energetic self. Whether he’s capturing NewBoCo’s successes through his lens or crafting them into captivating story – Ben is one talented guy!
5. One of my favorite memories of Ben was at the spicy chili cook off! He was so into his recipe and how to eat it.
6. Ben does great video work and adds in unique bits to make the content really pop.
7. I keep thinking about Ben’s diligence at EntreFEST in Iowa City last year. He was literally running all over town in shoes that weren’t made for that and gave himself blisters to get “just the right” video and photos.
8. Ben is passionate about our community and is a great storyteller. That’s a powerful combination and we’re really lucky to have him on our team!
9. Ben has several traits that make me want to work with him: he’s well-informed and very passionate about his community, both inspiring traits, and his ability to engage in discussions and creative conversations at the same time make him a great person to be in meetings with.
10. I was skeptical the first time we worked with Ben on a product pitch video, but I changed my mind completely when I saw the customer’s reaction.
11. Working with Ben brings out the best creative energy for me! His quick wit and thoughtful analysis have been a real asset for our team.
12. One trait I appreciate is Ben’s journalistic eye for urban issues around town.
13. Ben’s just a fun guy to work with. He’s always funny and exciting when we’re working on a project.
14. My favorite work related memory of Ben was turning Whiskey Friday into a visit to Rock the Block into a long walk to NEED Pizza and more!
15. Ben is really creative and I love the sparkle in his eye when he gets excited about a new idea.
16. I feel like I’ve been working with Ben since I started at NewBoCo. I love having a fellow photographer to bounce ideas off of, especially since he’s so experienced. I always learn something new from him when we cover events or just take photos for fun.
17. My favorite work memory of Ben is when he was taking photos at Future City. He was taking one of a therapy dog who was normally quite but had never seen a camera before and wouldn’t stop barking at him.