B. Thomas Golisano collection

The B. Thomas Golisano collection of correspondence, photographs, clippings, and ephemera spans the years of roughly 1965 to 2014. The Paychex correspondence, clippings, and ephemera spans his tenure at the company, from 1971 up to his retirement as CEO in 2004. His philanthropic correspondence spans from 1985 to roughly 2008. There is little correspondence from Golisano himself, rather letters addressed to Golisano. There are articles about Golisano, written by Golisano, as well as articles that may have been collected by Golisano but do not cite him directly. Most of the photographs are snapshots; there are professional portraits and photographs as well. There are publications and promotional materials from institutions that Golisano either donated to or was involved with, including newsletters, DVDs, and pamphlets. The majority of the personal correspondence is comprised of greeting cards, with some correspondence from family members and close friends and colleagues. There are also video tapes from his campaigns, as well as promotional campaign items.

The collection is divided into 6 series. Series I: Business contains correspondence, articles, and ephemera related to Paychex, as well as Golisano’s awards for entrepreneurship. Paychex correspondence includes internal memos, letters from employees, and correspondence with clients and shareholders. Paychex articles pertain to the major landmarks in the company’s history, including consolidation of franchises in 1979, going public in 1983, and its subsequent stock values. Paychex business documents such as annual reports and tax documents are also included. Business awards and accolades include the RIT Van den Brul, Rochester Business Journal Hall of Fame, and Forbes rankings.

Series II: Community contains correspondence and articles relating to civic involvement, including Italian-American societies, social reform, and his ownership of the Buffalo Sabres. Correspondence is both professional, involving Sabres co-owner Larry Quinn, and also from the general public.

Series III: Personal contains correspondence from Golisano’s immediate and extended family, as well as close friends including Gary Muxworthy, Bob Sebo, and Gene Polisseni. The series also includes photographs of Golisano and his family, as well as some of Golisano’s personal ephemera.

Series IV: Philanthropy contains correspondence and printed materials from educational institutions including Rochester Institute of Technology, and medical institutions such as Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong Memorial and Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital in Syracuse. It also contains materials related to the Clinton Global Initiative and the B. Thomas Golisano Foundation, as well as the organizations those programs served.

Series V: Politics is comprised mainly of clippings chronicling the 1994 and 1998 New York gubernatorial elections, as well as information on the Independence Fusion Party that Golisano pioneered.

Series VI contains accruals to the collection received since 2016. They document topics covered in series I-V, but have not been incorporated into the collection to maintain original order.