Spencerport Resident Philip Gelsomino II Honored at RIT

Spencerport resident Philip C. Gelsomino II was honored as the 2009 Distinguished Alumnus for the College of Business at Rochester Institute of Technology during a reception at Locust Hill Country Club on April 3.

Each year, RIT presents Distinguished Alumni Awards to a graduate from each of the university’s eight colleges. The recipients have performed with distinction at the highest levels of their chosen professions or contributed significantly to the advancement and leadership of noteworthy civic, philanthropic, or service organizations over the course of many years.

Gelsomino (’86) is owner and operator of Perkins Restaurant & Bakery locations throughout Western New York. In addition, he is managing partner of Gelsomino & Co., a Rochester certified public accounting firm.

“The professors, fellow students and the faculty and staff of the various colleges at RIT all taught me that knowledge is power; how I chose to use it was entirely up to me,” Gelsomino says. “That is the single most important principle RIT taught me and I have lived by it each and every day.”

Gelsomino has an extensive background in restaurants, finance and construction. His career began in the industry at age 14 when he obtained his first job with Tom Wahl’s Restaurants and Party House, a regional restaurant chain. Gelsomino later became the president and CEO of Philco Services Inc., a privately held investment company. In addition to acting as chief financial officer of two local area development companies, he maintains his role as managing partner of Gelsomino and Co.

During the past 25 years, Gelsomino has owned and operated a number of regional restaurants and sold each at a profit to build the next. His expertise includes site location, development, construction and restaurant operation.

Gelsomino is involved in many community organizations including the Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Humane Society at Lollypop Farm and the New York Special Olympics Area 20.

NOTE: One of eight colleges at RIT, the E. Philip Saunders College of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB International) and enrolls more than 1,200 undergraduate and graduate students.