James Hands Named CFO

James Hands holding a 7-week-old female black Labrador/golden retriever cross.

MORRISTOWN, N.J. - James Hands is joining The Seeing Eye as its Director of Administration & Finance and Chief Financial Officer.

Hands, a resident of Keyport, N.J., was previously Director of Financial Planning and Analysis at the Natural Resources Defense Council, a New York-based international nonprofit organization. He has a Master of Business Administration in Finance and Investments from the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Rutgers University.

“James brings to The Seeing Eye his considerable experience in financial management as well as in grants management, team building, and long-range planning,” said Glenn Hoagland, The Seeing Eye’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Financial sustainability is a fundamental value at The Seeing Eye. We are committed not just to creating Seeing Eye teams, but to provide ongoing support for the lifetime of the partnership.”

Hands is succeeding Robert Pudlak, who is retiring after 13 years as Director of Administration & Finance and CFO. Previously, Pudlak served as Chief Financial Officer for Bergen Regional Medical Center, Kessler Rehabilitation Corporation, and Atacama Minerals. Pudlak is a Certified Public Accountant and earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Seton Hall University.

“Bob’s prudent stewardship and wise counsel helped steer The Seeing Eye first through the ‘Great Recession’ and then the economic slowdown created by the COVID-19 pandemic, and we emerged from each more able to fulfill our mission of creating the world’s best guide dogs,” Hoagland said. “We thank Bob for his service and wish him well in his retirement.”

Established in 1929, The Seeing Eye provides specially bred and trained dogs to guide people who are blind. Seeing Eye dog users experience greatly enhanced mobility and independence, allowing them to retain their active lifestyles despite blindness. The Seeing Eye is a 501(c)3 non-profit supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, bequests, and other planned gifts.

The Seeing Eye is a trademarked name and can only be used to describe the dogs bred and trained at the school’s facilities in Morristown, N.J. If you would like more information on The Seeing Eye, please visit the website at www.SeeingEye.org, call (973) 539-4425, or email info@seeingeye.org.

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