Eric Fischer of Novato has joined Homeward Bound of Marin as chief financial officer, bringing more than 20 years of experience in community nonprofit organizations to his new position.
He will oversee all financial operations at Homeward Bound, the county’s main provider of shelter and services for homeless families and adults, which serves an average of 1,400 people per year and has an annual budget of more than $5 million.
Fischer will work closely with Finance Director Kerry Blasdell, who has been a staff member since 1998. He joins Homeward Bound amid continued growth from social enterprise projects that include rental of the Key Room event space and operation of Jackson Café as well as a capital campaign for the Oma Village family housing site.
His experience includes 10 years with the Child Care Coordinating Council of San Mateo County as Director of Finance and Administration, followed by a stint as Chief Financial Officer for Hospice of Marin (now Hospice by the Bay.) In that role, he assisted in design and deployment of new financial, accounting and budgeting systems that facilitated the agency’s expansion into four counties and purchase of a new headquarters building in Larkspur.
In the last five years, Mr. Fischer served as Managing Director of Finance and Operations, and later interim Executive Director, of Breakthrough Collaborative, a national education collaborative with 30 affiliate sites across the country and Hong Kong.
Mr. Fischer holds bachelor’s degrees from Santa Clara University in accounting and decision & information sciences.
An advocate for ending homelessness everywhere, Eric is the father of three children, an avid photographer, and an aspiring Latin jazz percussionist.
Homeward Bound, founded in 1974, operates 14 residential programs that range from emergency shelter to permanent supportive housing. Its services include counseling, job training, help with job and housing search, and workshops in “life skills” like money management.
