Charlie Bonomo Elected to Board of Directors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Smithtown, N.Y.  (January 13, 2020) – The Guide Dog Foundation and its sister organization, America’s VetDogs, are pleased to announce the election of Charles Bonomo, of Long Island, N.Y., to serve on their national boards of directors. The boards provide counsel and oversight to advance the organizations’ mission to provide guide and service dogs and training – free of charge – to people who are blind or have low vision, and to those who have served our country honorably.

Bonomo is senior vice president and chief information officer of MSC Industrial Supply Co., a leading North American distributor of metalworking and maintenance, repair and operations products and services based in Melville, N.Y. Under his leadership, MSC has dramatically increased its use of Information Technology (IT) as a tool to create competitive advantage. He is leading MSC’s transition from legacy technology to state-of-the-art systems in areas such as eCommerce, Customer Managed Inventory, Vendor Managed Inventory, Industrial Vending and Master Data Management. He is also responsible for leading and developing MSC’s strategic IT Roadmap. 

“I am passionate about joining the boards of the Guide Dog Foundation and America’s VetDogs. In the short time I’ve been involved with these organizations, I’ve seen the tremendous impact they have on individuals with disabilities. To see the evolution of an assistance dog from being a newborn in the nursery to being raised by a volunteer, and ultimately being placed with an individual with disabilities is a tremendous and rewarding experience. They are two amazing organizations and I am proud to support their missions.” 

“We are very proud that Charlie has joined our distinguished Board of Directors,” said John Miller, president and CEO of the Guide Dog Foundation and America’s VetDogs.  “His passion and experience will ensure that he has a positive and immediate impact for our organizations as we further our missions.”

The Guide Dog Foundation and America’s VetDogs boards of directors comprise volunteer leaders from the medical, business, academic, and military and veteran communities. 

About the Guide Dog Foundation
For more than 70 years, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc. (www.GuideDog.org), has trained and placed guide and service dogs to provide independence, enhanced mobility, and companionship to people who are blind, have low vision, or have other special needs. The Guide Dog Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization serving clients from across the United States and Canada. The Foundation relies on contributions from generous individuals, corporations, service clubs, and foundations to fund its mission to serve people with disabilities. It costs over $50,000 to breed, raise, train, and place one assistance dog, but the Guide Dog Foundation provides its services completely free of charge to the individual.  Its sister organization, America’s VetDogs, trains and provides guide, service, and hearing dogs for disabled veterans and first responders. The Guide Dog Foundation was the first assistance dog school in the United States to be accredited by both the International Guide Dog Federation and Assistance Dogs International.

About America’s VetDogs
Since 2003, America’s VetDogs (www.VetDogs.org) has trained and placed guide and service dogs to provide independence, enhanced mobility, and companionship to veterans with disabilities from all eras. In 2015, VetDogs opened its programs to first responders, including fire, police, and emergency medical personnel.  America’s VetDogs is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded by the Guide Dog Foundation and serves clients from across the United States.  VetDogs relies on contributions from generous individuals, corporations, service clubs, and foundations to fund its mission to help those who have served our country live with dignity and independence.  It costs over $50,000 to breed, raise, train, and place one assistance dog, but America’s VetDogs provides its services completely free of charge to the individual. America’s VetDogs has been accredited by both the International Guide Dog Federation and Assistance Dogs International.