ny_gov_GOLISANO
TOM GOLISANO
Age: 56 Born: November 14, 1941; Irondequoit, New York Education: Alfred State Technical College (1962) Military: None Family: Single; Two children, two stepchildren, four grandchildren Hometown: Victor, New York Religion: Catholic Career: Businessman, Paychex Inc. (1971-present); Independence Party gubernatorial candidate (1994) |
• Tom Golisano is a native of Monroe County. He graduated from Alfred State Technical College in 1962, and in 1994 was presented an Honorary Doctorate of Law by Roberts Wesleyan College.
• In 1971, at the age of 30, he founded Paychex Inc., a company to process payroll for small businesses. Paychex became a public company in 1983 and currently employs more than 5,000 people and serves 300,000 companies across the country. He was named 'Entrepeneur of the Decade' by the Rochester Business Journal and in 1983, INC. magazine listed his company among the fastest growing privately held businesses in the U.S. Forbes magazine recently put Golisano's net worth at an estimated $800 million.
• In 1993, he cofounded the Independent Party of New York, which is now the fastest growing political party in New York. After spending $6.6 million of his own money in the 1994 gubernatorial race, Golisano won more than 217,000 votes (4%), securing the Independence Party a place on the New York state ballot.
• The goal of the Independence Party is to create a 'socially moderate, fiscally responsible political party that is unaffected by the demands of special interest money.'