The Empire Page

B. Thomas Golisano founded Paychex, Inc. in 1971 and is Chairman of the Board of the Company.
Mr. Golisano is a member of the board of directors of several private companies and serves on the board of trustees of the Rochester Institute of Technology.  Mr. Golisano has been recognized for his entrepreneurial, civic, and philanthropic achievements and endeavors.

In early 2003, Mr. Golisano demonstrated his commitment to Western New York with his purchase of the Buffalo Sabres.

In 1985, with an initial gift of $90,000, he launched his first philanthropic endeavor by establishing the B. Thomas Golisano Foundation. Today, with assets of $25 million, the Foundation awards grants to organizations dedicated to providing opportunities for those with developmental disabilities and offering support to their families.

Mr. Golisano's philanthropic contributions have totaled more than $107 million. Some of the recipients include Niagara University, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Central New York Children's Hospital at University Hospital in Syracuse, Rochester General Hospital and Hartwick College.

Mr. Golisano is a strong advocate for the reduction of substance abuse and teen pregnancy and served on the executive committee of Prevention Partners, a Rochester coalition designed to combat illegal drugs and alcohol abuse.

Mr. Golisano's interest in working to reduce substance abuse and teenage pregnancy at the local level is matched by his concern for the need to seek political reform. To that end Mr. Golisano became a founding member of the Independence Party of New York State. As a candidate of that party, he ran for governor of New York in 1994, 1998, and 2002.

In July 2008, Mr. Golisano established Responsible New York, which is organized around a core set of values, beliefs and principles that are essential to guiding true political reform in the State of New York. Its quest is to create a political movement to return Albany to its rightful owners. Its pledge is help create an organization with no personal agendas, other than to give a voice to all New Yorkers - Democrats, Republicans, Conservatives and Independents from cities, suburbs and rural areas both upstate and downstate.

Responsible New York endorses candidates in the New York State Senate and Assembly. Candidates will be chosen in a non-partisan manner and only for their commitment and their ability to support Responsible New York, removing Albany from the grips of special interest and returning our government to the people who support it. And to truly change Albany it will also endorse and support candidates for Congress who will work to put people first.

A native of Irondequoit, NY, a suburb of Rochester, he is a graduate of the State University of New York at Alfred.