Charles Bilezikian

Bilezikian was born to Armenian parents Beatrice (née Kasparian) and Krikor Bilezikian. His father, a tailor, died when he was a teenager. Following her husband's death, Bilezikian's mother took a job as a clerk in a Grover Cronin store in Waltham, Massachusetts. Charles Bilezikian graduated from Newton High School in Newton, Massachusetts. He received his bachelor's degree from Suffolk University. He entered the retail business soon after college and married his wife, Doreen Portnoy.

Christmas Tree Shops grew to 23 retail locations by 2003, the year the Bilezikian family sold the chain to Bed Bath & Beyond for an estimated $200 million. Charles Bilezikian soon created the Bilezikian Family Foundation to pursue philanthropic efforts. Charles Bilezikian also served on the board of directors for the Armenian Missionary Association of America, where he helped refurbish a hospital and create a dental clinic, kindergarten, and a community center.