My name is Benjamin Zastrow, and I am a small-business owner, neighborhood leader, and community servant running for mayor because Rochester cannot afford to drift as growth outpaces leadership.
I believe strong cities are built block by block, not top-down, and that leadership must be rooted in accountability and respect for the people and history that make Rochester home.
For nearly two decades, I've helped build and run small businesses, winning awards along the way. My hands-on experience in bookkeeping, operations, strategy, and creative production gives me a clear understanding of how organizations function, how jobs are created, and why fiscal discipline and follow-through matter.
I know firsthand that decisions made at City Hall directly affect workers, families, and neighborhoods like yours.
Here in Rochester, I've earned a reputation as a dedicated neighbor with proven leadership. I am a force multiplier who shows up and gets results. As President of the Lowertown Neighborhood Association, I led a post-pandemic rebuilding effort that restored engagement, updated bylaws, and created new committees. This turned residents' concerns about safety, predatory development practices, and quality of life into meaningful action.
Twice appointed by the Mayor and unanimously confirmed by the City Council, I serve as chair of the Heritage Preservation Commission. This role operates within the Unified Development Code and the associated zoning overlay to balance rapid growth with thoughtful urban planning that strengthens our neighborhoods rather than erasing their character.
Before moving with our family back to my wife's hometown of Rochester, I worked across the Midwest as a contracted artist, producer, and mentor, often partnering with schools and community organizations. I supported at-risk youth through arts education programs, including mentoring in a groundbreaking hip-hop curriculum pioneered by a friend and mentor working with researchers at UW-Madison.
This work also included collaborations with hundreds of artists worldwide, co-producing multilingual projects, and earning multiple Best of Madison awards. I also completed an accelerated degree in Electronics and Audio Engineering, graduating at the top of my class–reflecting a lifelong commitment to discipline, excellence, and learning.
I believe effective leadership requires continuous learning and independence, so I spend much of my remaining time studying local governance and strengthening my effectiveness as a public servant.
To better understand modern policing practices in our community, I completed the 2025 Rochester Police Community Academy and a 2023 shift ride-along. Additionally, in 2025, I passed my exam and was accepted into the National Association of Parliamentarians, where I continue to sharpen my chairmanship skills to ensure fair and effective decision-making.
This preparation is matched with backbone. I've consistently stood against bad policy, ineffective leadership, and powerful interests when they conflict with the public good.
I'm not a career politician, and I see that as a strength. My leadership was forged in neighborhoods, small businesses, and community rooms, not behind closed doors. I listen first, act decisively, and lead with integrity and respect for the people I serve.
Rochester is at a crossroads. Growth is accelerating, affordability is tightening, and trust in city leadership is wearing thin. I am running to provide steady, practical leadership rooted in community, informed by our history, and focused on results, because Rochester cannot wait.