Golisano Institute Announces President

December 8, 2022

ROCHESTER, NY – December 8, 2022 – The Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship, a not-for-profit two-year certificate program comprised exclusively of business-related subject matter aimed at reducing the time and cost of a traditional business school education, is pleased to announce Ian Mortimer will serve as the inaugural President.

“Ian possesses the qualifications and expertise to guide our institute into a well-respected and sought-after business education alternative,” said Tom Golisano. “He knows our mission, embodies the entrepreneurial spirit, and is committed to our business-centric ethos.”

Mr. Mortimer is widely regarded as a collaborative and innovative higher education leader who has worked with institutions to shape key initiatives over the past 30 years. He is coming to the Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) where he served as the Vice President for Enrollment Management & Associate Provost. In addition to serving RIT, Ian held senior-level leadership positions at Nazareth College and Champlain College in Burlington, VT. He is a double-graduate of St. Bonaventure University with a BA in English and MSEd in Counseling Psychology, has a MBA from the Saunders College of Business at RIT, and is finishing up his doctorate in business from Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business.

“I am incredibly honored to serve as the inaugural president of the Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship. It will be a privilege to work with the team to build the institute and next chapter of higher education,” said Ian Mortimer. “There is a clear urgency to provide first-rate, affordable education and the Golisano Institute will situate itself perfectly as a leading option for learners to receive the highest quality academic and experiential program, while being more economical from an accelerated schedule and lower cost.”

For more information on the Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship, visit GolisanoInstitute.org.

About Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship

Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship offers a timely and affordable alternative path to a business education for high school graduates and young working professionals. Our two-year certificate program provides an intensive immersion in business-related coursework and an experiential learning environment. Our purpose is to efficiently turn out highly trained entrepreneurs in the greater Rochester region.

About Tom Golisano

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, and advocating for inclusive health and several civic issues. He has contributed over $330 million to many local and national organizations, children’s hospitals, and other non-profit organizations. He also has a family foundation that specializes in assisting organizations that serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

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 investments have helped drive the success of numerous businesses, including 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!”