Thomas Priore is the CEO of Priority, one of the leading non-bank merchant acquirers in the United States. He has led the company to rank #45 on Forbes' 2025 list of America's Most Successful Small-Cap Companies.
Priore's educational background includes degrees from Harvard and Columbia Business School. He also spent eight years at PaineWebber and founded ICP Capital, where he managed over $20 billion in assets.
Priore's leadership philosophy is centered around "care-first leadership". He emphasizes the importance of a strong work ethic, which he learned from his grandfather, a landscaper. As he notes, success requires working "half a day—12 hours".
Success requires working "half a day—12 hours"
Priore's vision for unified commerce platforms has driven his strategic acquisitions and leadership at Priority.
Author's summary: Thomas Priore leads Priority with a care-first approach.