John Belizaire is the co-founder of FirstBest and is an accomplished enterprise software entrepreneur with a track record of new venture development and management success.
Prior to co-founding FirstBest, he was senior director of business development and strategic planning for BEA's Ecommerce applications division, where he grew annual revenue to over $150 million. Before BEA, Belizaire co-founded The Theory Center, a leader in Java-based component software for enterprise applications. As CEO, he grew the company from inception to $10 million in revenue. BEA Systems acquired the company in 1999 for over $160 million. He was previously lead architect for Intel's digital enterprise group, where he was responsible for the industry's first implementation of network quality-of-service technology for personal computers.
Belizaire's comments are from a panel on Information Technology Entrepreneurship from Entrepreneurship at Cornell Celebration in April 2010.
Belizaire holds a BS and Master's degree in computer science from Cornell University. He has also completed the Wharton Business School's Executive Development Program at the University of Pennsylvania.
Michael Belkin is the CEO and Co-founder of Distinc.tt. Distinc.tt is a LGBT social app. Michael Belkin received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and his MBA from Harvard University.
Steven Belkin is founder and chairman of Trans National Group (TNG), a privately held company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Belkin pioneered the concept of using direct mail marketing to provide products and services to the Affinity Group marketplace and TNG is currently the world leader in Affinity Group marketing.
In September 2003, Belkin realized a lifelong dream by becoming the largest of several owners of a professional sports enterprise consisting of the Atlanta Hawks, an NBA team, and the Atlanta Thrashers, an NHL team, as well as leaseholder for the Philips Arena in Atlanta.
Belkin was awarded Cornell University's 2004 Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
Belkin graduated from Cornell with a bachelor of science in Industrial Engineering and from Harvard Business School with a master of business administration.
<p>Phillip Bell served 6 years as an officer in the U.S. Air Force Civil Engineers and 5 years as an engineer with Corning Optical Fiber, and is currently the Manager of Business Development with Corning Strategic Growth.</p> <p>Phillip Bell earned a Mechanical Engineering degree from Oregon State University in 1994. He graduated with distinction from the Johnson School in 2007, where he was actively involved with Net Impact and the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise.</p>
Brent Bell is an assistant professor in the Outdoor Education Program at the University of New Hampshire. His research involves social support and community development, specifically focusing on how students transition from high school to college.
Prior to his position at UNH, Bell had worked with therapeutic adventure programs, been an assistant camp director, been a program director for an adventure travel company, and developed an outdoor leadership program at New England College in Henniker, NH. Bell also spent six years as the Director of the First-Year Outdoor Program (FOP) at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA.
Brent Bell received his PhD in Education from the University of New Hampshire.
Thatcher Bell is a Principal at DFJ Gotham.
Prior to joining DFJ Gotham, Bell was a Senior Analyst at North Hill Ventures, the venture capital affiliate of Capital One Financial. While at North Hill, he evaluated investments in financial technology, enterprise software and technology-enabled services companies, and was a deal team member for DealerTrack, Compete (acquired by comScore), Higher One, and Exchange Solutions.
Before joining North Hill, Bell was Manager of Business Development at OpenPages, an enterprise software vendor, where he oversaw an acquisition and developed channel partnerships in the U.S. and Europe. Previously, he was the third employee at SharkTank, an online marketplace connecting lawyers and potential clients. Thatcher began his career as a consultant at Ernst & Young (now Cap Gemini Ernst & Young), working on competitive strategy and process improvement projects in the financial services, telecommunications, and health care industries.
Thatcher Bell has a B.S. cum laude in Engineering from Cornell University and an M.B.A. with honors from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Michael J. Beller is President and CEO of Lightship Partners.
Mr. Beller has led start-up, turnaround, and high growth organizations as a COO, CIO, and consultant. This experience has involved developing business technology and operating strategies combined with "in the trenches" execution and leadership.
Mr. Beller was recently featured in a cover story in Retail Information Systems News magazine for IT's role in business strategy, listed #4 in Apparel Magazine's list of Top 50 Innovators, nominated for ComputerWorld magazine's list of Premier 100 IT Leaders, and won the Smart Enterprise magazine award for Outstanding Achievement in Enterprise IT Management.
Mr. Beller has held various senior executive and consulting positions including CIO and EVP of Strategy Management for a national specialty retailer, Chief Operating Officer for a pharmaceutical packaging and distribution company, and COO and CIO for a venture backed technology re-manufacturing and e-commerce start-up.
Mr. Beller has also held senior positions with consulting firms that included Accenture, Technology Solutions Company, and Diamond Management and Technology Consultants. At Diamond, Mr. Beller was a founding partner and helped lead the company through a successful IPO.
Mr. Beller received a Bachelor of Science degree in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering from the Cornell University College of Engineering.
John Bello is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of South Beach Beverage Company. He brings more than 25 years of brand building and marketing experience to the Company, which was established in January 1995.
Prior to founding SoBe, Bello, 55, spent 14 years with National Football League Properties Inc., the marketing arm of the National Football League. As President, Bello has been credited for building NFL Properties into a sports marketing leader.
Prior to the NFL, Bello worked in the Pepsi Cola Division of Pepsico Inc., serving in marketing and strategic planning capacities, as well as in the Maxwell House Division of General Foods Corp., where he held product management roles with the Sanka and Maxwell House brands.
During four years of service with the United States Navy, Mr. Bello achieved the rank of Lieutenant (Senior Grade) and received the Navy Commendation with Combat V for meritorious service on riverboats in South Vietnam.
John Bello graduated Cum Laude from Tufts University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and holds an MBA from the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College.
Scott Belsky is the founder and editor of Behance. The Behance team helps creative professionals and organizations make ideas happen through a process called "productive creativity". Click here to learn more about Behance.
Previously, Belsky worked at Goldman Sachs as part of the Pine Street Development Initiative Group - a small global team focused on leadership development, organizational improvement, and strengthening key client relationships. Prior to this role, Scott worked for two years in European Research Sales in the Equities Division at Goldman Sachs.
Before joining Goldman Sachs, Scott was Co-Founder and President of Live Big Enterprises, a sportswear and corporate clothing company. Live Big was featured in Newsweek and Business Week Online in 2001, and was sold in the summer of 2002.
Scott Belsky is a graduate of Cornell University.
<p>Joe Benevento is an associate in Thomas H. Lee Partners in Boston, Massachusetts. Previously, Benevento worked at Goldman Sachs in Investment Banking. </p> <p>Joe Benevento is a graduate of Cornell University. </p>
Ben and Judy Benjamin are the owners of Ben and Judy's Sugarhouse which they founded in 1982. This maple sugar business began as a hobby and has grown over the years to involve more of the extended family.
Ben and Judy Benjamin have oil-fired evaporators, reverse osmosis machines and other equipment meant to speed up the task of reducing 40 gallons of sap to one gallon of syrup. After sap turns to syrup, Judy Benjamin takes over, making value-added products such as maple cream and granulated maple sugar.
Ben and Judy Benjamin are the owners of Ben and Judy's Sugarhouse which they founded in 1982. This maple sugar business began as a hobby and has grown over the years to involve more of the extended family.
Ben and Judy Benjamin have oil-fired evaporators, reverse osmosis machines and other equipment meant to speed up the task of reducing 40 gallons of sap to one gallon of syrup. After sap turns to syrup, Judy Benjamin takes over, making value-added products such as maple cream and granulated maple sugar.