BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

®

David Reid Caplan
David Reid Caplan was born in 1937 into a lower middle-class environment in Montréal, Canada. These modest beginnings, coupled with growing up during World War II, instilled in him a strong work ethic and molded his life-long awareness of poverty and desire to eliminate waste.

David was educated in the public school system. To be able to afford to attend McGill University he lived at home and worked summers. He graduated from McGill University in 1958 with a degree in Engineering Physics. He then received a teaching and research scholarship to attend graduate school at MIT, graduating in 1960 with a MS in Electrical Engineering.

David began his business career working for IBM in technical, marketing and management positions. He later worked on Wall Street as a research analyst covering the technology industry, and became a partner at a large boutique investment firm. In 1977, David founded AristaData, Inc., an investment consulting firm.

Since his retirement in 2000, Mr. Caplan has managed the family investments and in 2007 co-founded the Caplan-Bensley Foundation.

Maria Bensley Caplan
Maria Bensley Caplan was born in 1943 in Owego, New York. Her parents, of modest means, were extremely loving and nurturing and cared deeply about being good neighbors and good citizens.

Maria attended Buffalo State University, and in 1964, desiring to have a career in the fashion industry, transferred to LIM (Laboratory Institute of Merchandising) in New York City, graduating in 1966. While at Buffalo State, she worked part-time in the college cafeteria and volunteered at a local hospital. While attending LIM she held part-time jobs at Saks Fifth Avenue and Ohrbach’s.

After graduation, Maria worked as a Department Manager at Bloomingdale’s in New York City. In 1972 she founded Daimar Enterprises, a personal shopping company. In 1977 she joined AristaData, Inc., overseeing office management until her retirement in 2000.

Ms. Caplan dedicates the work of Caplan-Bensley Foundation to the memory of her parents and to their philosophy that every person can make a positive contribution to society.

Ronnie Honigsbaum
Ronnie Honigsbaum has been a teacher and hands-on volunteer her entire adult life. She grew up in Peekskill, NY., and as an adolescent began working at a local grocery store, saving her earnings to pay for her college education. By the time Ronnie graduated from Mercy College with a BA in history, she had already worked as playground director and at both Macy’s and IBM. After graduation she spent her entire career as a teacher, including stints as an elementary classroom teacher, kindergarten-first grade library teacher, and an instructor and mentor to student teachers at Orange County Community College.

Since retiring Ronnie has been a long time volunteer including spending years helping at-risk girls and providing assistance at the Country Kids Food Pantry.

Ms. Honigsbaum brings her expertise delivering education programs and a compassionate, but strong work ethic to the Caplan-Bensley board. In her “all substance, little flash” manner she explains her commitment to the CBF by saying she simply wants “to help people and animals live the best lives they can.”