Cornell alumnus Steven B. Belkin ’69 IE, chairman and founder of Trans National Group (TNG), a Boston-based privately held corporation, and the principal owner of the professional sports teams the Atlanta Hawks and the Atlanta Thrashers, will be honored on campus in October as Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year 2004.

The award, managed by Cornell's Entrepreneurship and Personal Enterprise (EPE) Program, is given annually to a Cornell graduate who best exemplifies entrepreneurial achievement, community service, and high ethical standards.

Belkin founded Trans National in 1974. Principally a direct response marketing and investment company, TNG has a staff of 250 and has more than $200 million per year in sales. Belkin was the founder of "affinity" credit cards, those Visas and Mastercards that also bear the logo of both businesses and nonprofits, which can generate special deals for the user or income for the organization. He also pioneered the concept of using direct mail marketing to provide products and services to the affinity group marketplace.

Belkin has started more than 20 companies under the TNG umbrella. Eight of those have been sold, including an affinity credit card company that originated more than 10 million credit cards.

Trans National companies currently include: TNT Vacations, a wholesale tour operator; Trans National Communications, a long-distance telephone service reseller; Trans National Ventures, an investment and venture capital firm; Trans National Marketing, a marketer of limited edition books and videos; B.E. Realty, a real estate investment firm; and Charlesgate Management Company, a real estate management company.

Belkin received his bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from Cornell in 1969 and his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1971.

—Simeon Moss, Cornell News Service