Tom Golisano

Tom Golisano is an American billionaire businessman, philanthropist and former political candidate best known as the founder of Paychex, the payroll and human resources services giant. Born in 1941 to Italian immigrant parents, Golisano started Paychex in 1971 with only a few thousand dollars, building it into one of the largest providers of payroll services to small and medium sized businesses in the United States. Beyond business, he became the longtime owner of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres, ran three times for governor of New York, and emerged as one of the most generous philanthropists in his region, giving away billions of dollars.

This profile covers who Tom Golisano is, his early life and education, the founding and growth of Paychex, his ventures into sports and politics, his philanthropy, his net worth and his current activities.

Early Life and Education

Blase Thomas Golisano was born in 1941 in Rochester, New York, to a family of Italian immigrant background and modest means. Growing up in a working family shaped a practical, self reliant outlook that would later define his approach to business. He was not a standout academically in the conventional sense, and his story is often told as one of determination and common sense rather than elite credentials.

He attended Alfred State College, earning a degree, and then went to work in the business world, gaining experience in the payroll processing field that would give him the insight for his defining venture. It was there that he spotted an opportunity that larger companies were overlooking.

Founding Paychex

In 1971, Tom Golisano founded Paychex with very little money, reportedly only a few thousand dollars and a credit card. His insight was simple but powerful. Large payroll processing companies focused on big corporate clients and largely ignored small businesses, which were considered too small and too much trouble to serve profitably. Golisano believed that small businesses badly needed affordable, outsourced payroll services and that they represented an enormous untapped market.

He built Paychex to serve exactly that market, handling payroll, tax filing and related administrative tasks for small and medium sized employers. The early years were a grind of building the business client by client, but the model proved hugely successful. Paychex grew steadily into a national company, eventually going public and becoming one of the largest payroll and human resources services firms in the country, serving hundreds of thousands of businesses.

Building a Fortune

Paychex made Tom Golisano a billionaire. As the founder and largest individual shareholder, his wealth grew with the company's expansion and rising stock value. The business benefited from recurring revenue, deep relationships with small business clients and the steady growth of the American economy and workforce.

Golisano's success with Paychex is frequently cited as a classic American entrepreneurial story, a man with little starting capital who identified an underserved market and built a major corporation around it through persistence and focus. His business philosophy, emphasizing simplicity, service to overlooked customers and financial discipline, became part of his public identity.

Owning the Buffalo Sabres

In 2003, Golisano purchased the Buffalo Sabres, the National Hockey League team, rescuing the franchise from bankruptcy and keeping it in the city. As owner, he became a prominent figure in western New York sports and invested in the team during a period when it returned to competitiveness. He owned the Sabres for several years before selling the franchise, and his ownership is generally credited with stabilizing the team at a critical moment.

Political Campaigns

Tom Golisano was also a notable figure in New York politics. He ran for governor of New York three times, in 1994, 1998 and 2002, on the Independence Party line, financing his campaigns largely with his own fortune. Though he did not win, his candidacies made him a recognizable political figure and reflected his interest in reforming government and reducing taxes. He has remained outspoken on fiscal and tax policy, at times making headlines over his own decisions about where to reside for tax reasons.

Philanthropy

In his later years, Golisano became increasingly defined by his philanthropy. He has given away well over a billion dollars, with a particular focus on health care, services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and his home region of upstate New York. Numerous hospitals, children's facilities and programs bear his name, reflecting a sustained commitment to giving in the communities where he built his business.

His philanthropic work, especially in support of people with disabilities, has become one of the central legacies of his life, alongside the company he founded.

Tom Golisano Net Worth

Tom Golisano net worth was estimated at about $6.9 billion in 2025 by Forbes, which ranked him among the 500 richest people in the world. The foundation of his fortune remains his founding stake in Paychex, supplemented by other investments. His wealth has grown substantially over the decades as the company prospered.

Because much of his fortune is tied to his Paychex holdings and other investments, the figure moves with markets. His giving of more than a billion dollars to charity is itself a notable part of the story of his wealth, reflecting a deliberate effort to direct his fortune toward causes he cares about during his lifetime.

Personal Life

Tom Golisano is known for a direct, plainspoken personal style consistent with his self made background. His personal life, including his relationships and his decisions about residency and lifestyle, has at times drawn public attention given his wealth and political profile. He has remained active and visible into his eighties, particularly through his philanthropy and his commentary on business and public affairs.

Achievements and Influence

Tom Golisano's achievements include founding and building Paychex into a major American corporation, rescuing and owning an NHL franchise, mounting three campaigns for governor, and giving away more than a billion dollars to charitable causes. His influence is felt in the business services industry he helped pioneer for small companies, in upstate New York philanthropy and civic life, and as an example of the self made entrepreneur who turned a tiny startup into a fortune.

Tom Golisano in 2026

As of 2026, Tom Golisano remains one of the most prominent business figures and philanthropists associated with upstate New York. The themes around him include his ongoing charitable giving, his continued commentary on taxes and public policy, and the enduring legacy of Paychex as one of the great entrepreneurial success stories of his generation.

He is profiled alongside other founders in the Tech sector on Founder Canon, the entrepreneurs who built lasting companies by serving markets others ignored.