Faculty, staff & leadership

B. Thomas Golisano is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and civic leader born and raised in Rochester, New York. He has demonstrated an ongoing dedication and commitment to building innovative businesses, supporting numerous non-profit organizations.

His philanthropic contributions to education, hospitals — including three children’s hospitals that bear his name — disability services, animal welfare, and numerous other organizations exceed $860 million. In 1985 Tom Golisano applied his pioneering spirit to establish the Golisano Foundation to make the world a better place for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). With more than $120 million in gross assets, it is one of the largest private foundations in the U.S. devoted to supporting programs for people with IDD.

Mr. Golisano is the founder of Paychex, Inc., the nation’s largest human resource company for small to medium-sized businesses. It provides integrated human capital management solutions for payroll, benefits, human resources, and insurance services for more than 730,000 clients in the U.S. and Northern Europe. He was also owner of the Buffalo Sabres hockey team, a three-time candidate for governor of New York, and is an investor in more than 25 outside enterprises. His continuing investments are helping to advance entrepreneurship through the 2023 establishment of the Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship as well as drive the success of numerous businesses and start-ups.

Mr. Golisano graduated from Alfred State with a two-year associate degree in general business management and has received five honorary doctoral degrees from Rochester-area colleges and universities. He has written two books entitled Built Not Born and The Italian Kid Did It!”