Bellairs is a 1979 graduate of Warren Wilson College, and received his master's degree from Western Illinois University in 1981.
[3] He was hired as VMI's head basketball coach in 1994, replacing Joe Cantafio, who had been serving the past eight seasons.
Bellairs was fired in 2005 after a 9–18 campaign, though continued to work with VMI as the Senior Associate Athletic Director for Operations and Marketing until 2008.
[4] Following his departure from VMI, Bellairs was introduced as Savannah State University's athletic director in May 2008, and took over the position on June 1 of that year.
[8] He was replaced in the interim by the Lions' head baseball coach Jay Artigues, who ultimately became the full-time athletic director.