Marissa Gionta ’12, ’14
Chief Information Officer at Rochester Colonial
Marissa Gionta ’12, ’14 (MBA) serves as the chief information officer at Rochester Colonial Mfg. Corp., a third-generation business that celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2022. Marissa is the granddaughter of founder Salvatore Gionta and one of four third-generation family members in the business.
Marissa began her career at Rochester Colonial working through a number of administrative positions, eventually becoming the business process manager in 2014. In 2018, she was appointed director of marketing, a position she still holds, and in 2022, was name the company’s chief information officer.
Marissa is active in the Family Business Program. She is an inaugural member of Women in Family Business committee and has hosted students and Fisher’s Family Business Steering Committee for tours and meetings.
“Being a member of the Women in Family Business committee has been very rewarding. My two female cousins and I are part of the third generation and are the first women family members to play key roles in our company, in a male dominated industry,” she said. “The Women in Family Business committee serves as both a unique business resource and an incredible networking opportunity for us. As women, we face unique challenges when assuming leadership roles that have been traditionally held by men. The ability to share various experiences and support one another has been invaluable.”
Marissa earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and in 2014, earned her MBA. While in the MBA program, she was inducted into the international business honor society, Beta Gamma Sigma.
Abby Harris ’21, ’22
Marketing Coordinator at Janitronics Facility Services
Abby Harris ’21, ’22 (MBA) serves as the marketing coordinator at Janitronics Facility Services, her family’s third-generation business. Janitronics, which was founded by her grandfather, James Harris, Sr., provides a comprehensive range of facilities services and commercial cleaning to diverse environments and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022. Abby is one of three third-generation family members actively involved in the business. Headquartered in Albany, New York, Janitronics has regional offices across Western New York, the Hudson Valley, and Vermont.
Abby has the unique perspective of growing up in two family-owned business. Her mother’s family runs HMS Agency, Inc., a third-generation, family-owned, and operated full-service insurance agency in the Capital Region. Established by her maternal grandfather, William Mather, Sr., in 1997, HMS provides expertise across all lines of commercial and personal insurance, as well as a comprehensive range of employee benefits. Abby's mother, Lori Anne Harris, is actively involved in the business, along with her four siblings. HMS is recognized as a Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) by the NYS Economic Development Corporation.
Abby began her professional journey by interning for two summers at an advertising agency in Albany. There, she worked closely with the Janitronics brand on all of their marketing efforts. Immediately following graduation, she earned a full-time position with the agency, working with clients across various industries, and was also the main point of contact for Janitronics. She brought her experience in digital marketing to Janitronics in January 2024, joining the legacy her grandfather started. She continues to learn from her father, Jim Harris, Jr., president and CEO of the company, and her two older brothers, Dan and Brian Harris, who are actively involved in the business.
While at Fisher, Abby was a five-year student-athlete on the field hockey team, serving as captain in her final season. She played a crucial role in leading her team to two Empire 8 championships and was named first-team all-conference by the conference. Abby was also actively involved in the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) and was the co-founder and president of the Family Business Club in 2020, laying a strong foundation for future family business leaders.