For as long as he could remember, Edward L. Kaplan loved to build things.
"He was always tinkering, always playing, always creating," said Carol Kaplan, his wife of 60 years. "He was an engineer at heart."
Kaplan went on to become one of Chicago's earliest pioneers in, and a titan of, the technology industry. A Jewish entrepreneur, philanthropist, and innovator who used his vision, ingenuity, and success to make the world a better place, Kaplan died on July 14. He was 82.
Back in 1969, it was a conversation with a friend over his kitchen table that would lay the groundwork for what would transform the technology sector as we know it today. Kaplan, then 26, and Gary Cless, then 28--both project engineers at the Teletype Corporation at the time--dreamed up what would become their transformative tech company, later called Zebra Technologies.
In the nascent days of the company, then called Data Specialties Inc., Kaplan and Cless manufactured high-speed machines that punched holes in long paper tape to track inventory. Then, in 1982, they were the first to commercialize barcode printing by using thermal transfer technology--a game-changer for the tech industry.
With a modest capital investment, they transformed their fledgling company into a publicly traded company today valued at nearly $17 billion. From 1969 until his 2007 retirement, Kaplan served as Chairman and CEO of Zebra, named for the black-and-white stripes of barcodes.
Growing up, Kaplan first learned about manufacturing from his father who ran his own sanding equipment and furniture manufacturing companies. The son of Bee and Meyer, Kaplan and his sister and brother grew up in Chicago's Lawndale neighborhood.
Kaplan met his future wife, Carol, in kindergarten, and the two later attended Senn High School together. Along with falling in love with Carol, he discovered a love for mechanical drawing, or drafting, which grew into his interest in engineering.
He then earned his undergraduate degree in engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology and studied finance at University of Chicago's business school.
After his success, he helped ensure that his schools could empower the next generation of innovators. He donated millions of dollars to IIT, founding the school's Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Technology, which helped to launch the careers of hundreds of rising entrepreneurs. He also founded University of Chicago's New Venture Challenge, which has produced many recognizable businesses, including Grubhub and Braintree/Venmo.
Kaplan's impact extended far beyond the tech industry, into the Jewish world. The Kaplans are longtime supporters of their synagogue, Congregation Beth Shalom, as well as both JUF, and its community security initiative, and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), a JUF overseas partner.
"Ed was a brilliant and engaging man, who made a real impact on the world through both innovation and his commitment to
tzedakah
and making the world a better place," said Lonnie Nasatir, JUF President.
In 2017, the Kaplans launched the JDC's Kaplan Leadership Initiative--in collaboration with JUF--to bolster the growth of Jewish professional leadership in the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.
Kaplan was a family man who adored his wife, their two sons, Marty and Alan, and their wives; and their six grandchildren. "He was a loving, doting father," Carol said. "He coached our sons' sports teams, always wanting them to have fun and to learn something. Plus, the kids always had the most fabulous school projects when they needed to build things."
Kaplan was the devoted husband of Carol (Kozin) Kaplan. The loving father of Marty (Amy) and Alan (Michelle), he was a cherished grandfather of 6-Jessica, Brett, Drew, Sydney, Dylan, and Danielle. He was the caring brother of Mark and Felicia, the loving brother-in-law of Janice Gordon, and treasured uncle of Sandy, Paul, and Ellie. Kaplan was predeceased by his beloved parents, Meyer and Bee. Memorial contributions may be made to the Kaplan Institute at the Illinois Institute of Technology [delete words] or the charity of your choice. Funeral services were held at Shalom Memorial Funeral Home, with interment at Shalom Memorial Park.
