Samuel Belzberg
Encyclopedia
Samuel Belzberg, OC
, OBC
(born June 26, 1928) is a Canadian
business man and philanthropist
.
Born in Calgary
, Alberta
, Belzberg was educated at the University of Alberta
.
He was founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of First City Financial Corporation Limited, a seven billion-dollar (Canadian dollars) full service financial institution. He was also an investor in American Water Development Inc, along with Maurice Strong
and Alexander Crutchfield
. He is currently the President of Gibralt Capital Corporation, a Canadian private investment company.
In 1977, with a donation of $500,000, he helped fund the Simon Wiesenthal Center
in Los Angeles
.
He is the founder of both the Canadian and American Dystonia
Medical Research Foundations.
In 1988 he was made a Member of the Order of Canada
and was promoted to Officer in 2001. In 2009, he was made a member of the Order of British Columbia
.
He is married to Frances Belzberg. They have four children: Marc, Lisa, Wendy, and Sherry. His daughter Wendy is married to Strauss Zelnick, the founder and president of Zelnickmedia.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, OBC
Order of British Columbia
The Order of British Columbia is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Instituted in 1989 by Lieutenant Governor David Lam, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier Bill Vander Zalm, the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to honour...
(born June 26, 1928) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
business man and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
.
Born in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Belzberg was educated at the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
.
He was founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of First City Financial Corporation Limited, a seven billion-dollar (Canadian dollars) full service financial institution. He was also an investor in American Water Development Inc, along with Maurice Strong
Maurice Strong
Maurice F. Strong, PC, CC, OM, FRSC is a Canadian entrepreneur and a former under-secretary general of the United Nations. Strong's first name is pronounced "Mor'ris" with the accent on the first syllable....
and Alexander Crutchfield
Alexander Crutchfield
-Background:He was born in Tucson Arizona, a fifth generation Arizonan. He earned a BA in African History, Economics and Accounting from Claremont McKenna College as a Distinguished Scholar and recipient of the CMC Student Citizen Award...
. He is currently the President of Gibralt Capital Corporation, a Canadian private investment company.
In 1977, with a donation of $500,000, he helped fund the Simon Wiesenthal Center
Simon Wiesenthal Center
The Simon Wiesenthal Center , with headquarters in Los Angeles, California, was established in 1977 and named for Simon Wiesenthal, the Nazi hunter. According to its mission statement, it is "an international Jewish human rights organization dedicated to repairing the world one step at a time...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
He is the founder of both the Canadian and American Dystonia
Dystonia
Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder, in which sustained muscle contractions cause twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures. The disorder may be hereditary or caused by other factors such as birth-related or other physical trauma, infection, poisoning or reaction to...
Medical Research Foundations.
In 1988 he was made a Member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
and was promoted to Officer in 2001. In 2009, he was made a member of the Order of British Columbia
Order of British Columbia
The Order of British Columbia is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Instituted in 1989 by Lieutenant Governor David Lam, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier Bill Vander Zalm, the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to honour...
.
He is married to Frances Belzberg. They have four children: Marc, Lisa, Wendy, and Sherry. His daughter Wendy is married to Strauss Zelnick, the founder and president of Zelnickmedia.