Biography
![TomGolisano_2016_Portrait copy Tom Golisano delivering a speech at a a podium](https://golisanofoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/TomGolisano_2016_Portrait-copy.jpeg)
Mr. Golisano is the founder of Paychex, Inc., the nation’s largest human resource company for small to medium-sized businesses, providing 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. Tom Golisano served as Paychex’s president and chief executive officer from 1971, when he founded the company, until October 2004, when he retired from his position as president and CEO. He continued to serve as Chairman of the Board until December 1, 2021, when Martin Mucci succeeded him and assumed that role. With 45-plus years of industry expertise, Paychex has 16,000 employees and pays one in 12 U.S. private-sector employees. It is headquartered in Rochester, New York.
Mr. Golisano and Paychex have consistently been recognized by business, financial and national media. Mr. Golisano was listed among the FORBES top 10 bosses in the U.S. for three consecutive years; the annual ranking is based on chief executives who provide the best balance between their compensation and shareholder return.
His investments have helped drive the success of numerous businesses and start-ups including Greenlight Networks, Kodak, Mykonos Software, Pictometry International, SafeSite, Viridi Parente, Zoom Tan, as well as many others.
In 2022, Mr. Golisano established Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship, a not-for-profit two-year certificate program comprised exclusively of business-related subject matter. Golisano Institute is aimed at reducing the time and cost of a traditional business school education.
Tom Golisano
His global commitment to advance inclusive health for people with intellectual disabilities has exceeded $95 million supporting the Golisano Autism Center, the Golisano Center for Special Needs at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital, the Golisano Institute for Developmental Disability Nursing at St. John Fisher College, the Golisano Center for Community Health at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, the Golisano Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness Center at URMC, the Golisano Medical Oncology Center at Niagara Memorial and more. The launch of Special Olympics Healthy Communities in 2012 has improved health care for people in more than 120 countries on six continents.
Mr. Golisano is a member of the board of directors of Kodak and several private companies and institutions.
Born in Irondequoit, New York, Mr. Golisano graduated from Alfred State College in 1962 with a degree in general business management. He was presented with an honorary doctorate of humane letters, at his alma mater’s commencement ceremony, on May 17, 2009.