Political involvement

After New York's Republican governor, George Pataki announced he would not run again in the 2006 election, Republican officials attempted to recruit Golisano to run for the Republican nomination. He changed his party affiliation to Republican, with the Independence Party's chairman's blessing, in October 2005, apparently in preparation for another gubernatorial run. On February 1, 2006, however, Golisano announced that he would not run for the governorship.

In August 2008, Golisano contributed $1 million to the Democratic National Convention.

In July 2008, Golisano formed a PAC called Responsible New York and funded it with $5 million of his own money. The PAC gives money to candidates for the New York state legislature, regardless of party. The PAC is aiming to support candidates for property tax cuts and election reform.

In October 2008, Golisano voiced his opinion in favor of term limits for public offices in the New York City. Golisano vowed to fight Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposal to extend term limits, arguing that the people of New York City have voted twice in favor of the current law.

In June 2009, Golisano took partial credit for creating the 2009 New York State Senate leadership crisis in which Republican seized control of a body that still retained a Democratic majority. Golisano, who had supported a number of Democratic Party candidates during the 2008 election, was dissatisfied with things like the Democrats' to solve the state's budget crisis by raising taxes on New York's wealthiest residents. He orchestrated the defection of Democratic senators Pedro Espada Jr. and Hiram Monserrate, who voted with Republicans to reinstate Dean Skelos as majority leader.

In February 2011, Golisano became the spokesman for National Popular Vote Inc., a non-profit organization seeking to implement a popular vote system for presidential elections by harnessing the electoral college.

Philanthropy

He founded the B. Thomas Golisano Foundation in 1985, awarding grants to organizations dedicated to providing opportunities for those with disabilities and supporting their families. Golisano has donated over 6% of his net worth ($1.3 billion) to charity. He has made donations to fund health care and leading educational centers. He donated $14 million in February 2001 to the Rochester Institute of Technology to fund the B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences and donated another $10 million to fund the Golisano Institute for Sustainability there in 2007. Golisano donated $14 million to the University of Rochester, which renamed their pediatric facility at Strong Memorial Hospital in his honor as the Golisano Children's Hospital in 2002. In October 2003, Golisano donated $5 million to Nazareth College, which named the new Golisano Academic Center in his honor. In July of 2004, he made a $5 million gift to Hartwick College of Oneonta, New York, which was used to build a new academic building for the social science and management programs, and has been named Golisano Hall. On March 6, 2006, Golisano donated $6 million to Bishop Kearney High School and Our Lady of Mercy High School.

On October 8, 2008, Golisano donated $10 million to Niagara University for a new Center for Integrated Science building that will be named in his honor. On the list of contributors to the Clinton Foundation, which the foundation released in December 2008 as part of an arrangement with the Barack Obama administration, Golisano is listed as having given between $10 million and $25 million. In November 2009, Golisano donated $4 million to Ave Maria University for the construction of a new field house.

In 2014, The Golisano Neurology and Rehabilitation Center at Unity Hospital in Rochester, New York, funded by a $10 million contribution by Golisano, will open.

On October 30, 2012 it was revealed that Golisano was the $20 million anonymous donor to The Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida, in Fort Myers.

He was a contributor to the Upstate University Hospital children's wing addition in Syracuse. The wing was named in his honor.

Personal life

Three times divorced, Golisano has been dating former tennis star Monica Seles since 2009. The two announced their engagement on June 5, 2014.

Electoral history

• 2002 Race for Governor
  • George Pataki (R) (inc.), 49%
  • Carl McCall (D), 34%
  • Tom Golisano (I), 14%
• 1998 Race for Governor
  • George Pataki (R) (inc.), 54%
  • Peter Vallone (D), 33%
  • Tom Golisano (I), 8%
• 1994 Race for Governor
  • George Pataki (R), 49%
  • Mario Cuomo (D) (inc.), 45%
  • Tom Golisano (I), 4%

Awards and honors

Golisano has received recognition for his business prowess and philanthropy, including:

• 2008 “Niagara Frontier Executive of the Year” presented by the University at Buffalo School of Management Alumni Association
• David T. Kearns Medal of Distinction - recognizing significant achievements in business, public service and education, by the University of Rochester's William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration
• Rochester Business Hall of Fame (2001)
• The 1987 Herbert W. VandenBrul Entrepreneurial Award, presented by Rochester Institute of Technology's College of Business
• "Master Entrepreneur" award in Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year awards competition for Western New York
• The "Distinguished Citizen of the Year" award from the Otetiana Council of the Boy Scouts of America
• Shumway Distinguished Service Award from Family Service of Rochester
• Humanitarian of the Year Award, presented by the Boy's Town of Italy, and the Commerce and Industry Award of the Rochester Chamber of Commerce.
• Outstanding Alumni Award from the American Association of Community Colleges
• Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Nazareth College in May 2002.
• Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, N.Y.
• Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, N.Y.

In 2003, Mr. Golisano was awarded the first-ever Humanitarian Award by the Italian-American Community Center in Rochester.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]