Mr. Gelsomino got his start in the world's largest industry, the restaurant business, at the age of 14 when he began working for Tom Wahl's Restaurants & Party House. Years later, after embracing every opportunity RIT had to offer him—including fulfilling part-time work for the College of Continuing Education and providing consulting services to RIT while still a student—his expertise now includes site location, development and construction, and successful operation of each restaurant. Mr. Gelsomino is owner and operator of the Perkins Restaurant & Bakery chain in Western New York, as well as managing partner of Gelsomino & Company, CPAs.
 
At RIT, Mr. Gelsomino learned that knowledge is power, and how he chooses to use it is entirely up to him. "That is the single most important principal RIT taught me and I have lived by it each and every day."