Sam and Cherie Gullo

A unique way to support a beloved community

When Sam Gullo bought a shopping plaza in Geneseo, he had no idea that the sale of it would ultimately help him to establish a fund at the Community Foundation and make a positive impact in his beloved hometown.

Perry, New York, is an idyllic small town in the heart of Wyoming County. Among its 3,600 residents is Sam, who has called it home all of his life.

“I’ve been lucky enough to make a pretty good living here, and now I want to help other people,” he said.

Sam grew up as the youngest of three children, and his parents instilled in them that it is better to give than to receive.

While Sam spent a lot of time at his parents’ furniture store in the center of Perry, he didn’t plan on taking over the family business. That all changed when Sam was in college and his father passed away suddenly, changing the trajectory of his career path. After graduating from Niagara University, Sam returned to his hometown to learn the business, which he still runs to this day in the same location it has been in for 80 years.

“I always had other interests besides the furniture business, and I was quite interested in real estate,” Sam explained.

That led Sam to pursue a second career in real estate development. He eventually purchased a nearly vacant shopping plaza in Geneseo at an auction. After redeveloping and selling it, the proceeds provided an establishing gift for the Sam and Cherie Gullo Foundation, a fund at the Wyoming Foundation, which is a geographic division of the Community Foundation.

Noting that there are many needs in Wyoming County, staying local with their support is important to Sam; his wife, Cherie; and son, Adam. Through their fund, they are able to provide grants to numerous organizations that are meaningful to their family.

“The fund has been a great way for me to do what I’m trying to accomplish, which is to do something for somebody else whenever I can, and that desire goes back to my parents, no question. I just feel good about giving.” – Sam Gullo