How It Started

The Bona Vias Foundation was founded in late 2020, but the free services we provide to the general public didn't start there. It all began more than 30 years ago when then 2Lt Adrian Michalicek, USAF offered free tutoring for disadvantaged students and quickly recognized a larger need for more services which he and other instructors continue to address today.

Our origin story is told from his perspective . . .

Aug 1992 - May 1993

Aug 1992 - May 1993

Lessons learned the hard way...

Senior cadets at military academies are often solicited by lenders who offer unsecured loans for transition assistance through graduation. During that time, I was amazed at how some of the smartest people I had ever met were making horrible financial decisions. I watched as many of them came to regret obtaining their loans and how they spent that money. It was never an issue of intelligence, but of basic financial awareness of loan amortization, budgeting and credit card discipline which most of us were never taught nor had any personal experience. I watched as they learned those lessons the hard way. Meanwhile, I learned that this was a serious and widespread problem, even for those who I thought should be able to see the numbers as plainly as I did.

Senior cadets at military academies are often solicited by lenders who offer unsecured loans for transition assistance through graduation. During that time, I was amazed at how some of the smartest people I had ever met were making horrible financial decisions. I watched as many of them came to regret obtaining their loans and how they spent that money. It was never an issue of intelligence, but of basic financial awareness of loan amortization, budgeting and credit card discipline which most of us were never taught nor had any personal experience. I watched as they learned those lessons the hard way. Meanwhile, I learned that this was a serious and widespread problem, even for those who I thought should be able to see the numbers as plainly as I did.

Sep 1993 - Feb 1994

Few people run the numbers...

After graduation, I was a young officer working at my first assignment where I started a free tutoring service for disadvantaged students in the local area. In the process of helping students academically and helping them plan for college, I listened as both military and civilian families lamented basic financial decisions. I knew that those questions could be quickly answered numerically, but no one was running the numbers. Why not?!? I watched again as highly intelligent people with significant computer skills lost small fortunes by choosing the wrong mortgage, not properly managing their credit card debt or investing in heavily loaded mutual funds. I realized then that I could help people save time and money as spare them that anxiety.

After graduation, I was a young officer working at my first assignment where I started a free tutoring service for disadvantaged students in the local area. In the process of helping students academically and helping them plan for college, I listened as both military and civilian families lamented basic financial decisions. I knew that those questions could be quickly answered numerically, but no one was running the numbers. Why not?!? I watched again as highly intelligent people with significant computer skills lost small fortunes by choosing the wrong mortgage, not properly managing their credit card debt or investing in heavily loaded mutual funds. I realized then that I could help people save time and money as spare them that anxiety.

Sep 1993 - Feb 1994

Mar 1994 - May 1995

Mar 1994 - May 1995

It was time to start helping...

I started developing tools in what were only basic spreadsheets at the time and eventually produced a loan amortization and budgeting tool specifically for the monthly military pay structure. I began offering those tools through the Family Support Center which opened the floodgates and I was soon counseling mostly junior enlisted service members and their families in household financial management. Seeing them swing from hopeless despair to joyful optimism in only one or two sessions made it all worthwhile and I wanted to keep offering that free public service as long as I could. Those sessions also started to focus on elements of career planning, both military and civilian, which founded our subject matter area of professional advancement.

I started developing tools in what were only basic spreadsheets at the time and eventually produced a loan amortization and budgeting tool specifically for the monthly military pay structure. I began offering those tools through the Family Support Center which opened the floodgates and I was soon counseling mostly junior enlisted service members and their families in household financial management. Seeing them swing from hopeless despair to joyful optimism in only one or two sessions made it all worthwhile and I wanted to keep offering that free public service as long as I could. Those sessions also started to focus on elements of career planning, both military and civilian, which founded our subject matter area of professional advancement.

Oct 1995 - Jan 2020

Demand was overwhelming...

I continued these free financial counseling services at every new assignment and eventually realized that it was time to expand the services and content. As my career advanced through academic advisor, professor, consultant and business executive, I finally had the skill set to expand the subject matter areas of academic development and professional advancement as foundations of financial success. I began to offer counseling services on high school and college campuses which evolved into large student seminars each semester. The demand for this counseling among students, military and the general public continued to grow through various partnerships until the pandemic brought it all to a screeching halt!

I continued these free financial counseling services at every new assignment and eventually realized that it was time to expand the services and content. As my career advanced through academic advisor, professor, consultant and business executive, I finally had the skill set to expand the subject matter areas of academic development and professional advancement as foundations of financial success. I began to offer counseling services on high school and college campuses which evolved into large student seminars each semester. The demand for this counseling among students, military and the general public continued to grow through various partnerships until the pandemic brought it all to a screeching halt!

Oct 1995 - Jan 2020

Jul 2020 - Present

Jul 2020 - Present

We intend to keep growing...

My passion had always been providing face-to-face counseling and public seminars in front of hundreds of people which I had done purely as a volunteer. I had developed very little web-based content and the pandemic showed me that it was time to start taking the virtual environment more seriously so that I could continue to help as many people as possible, even while we were all avoiding group settings. The Bona Vias Foundation was incorporated and granted 501(c)(3) charity status during the pandemic and we have been developing new contacts and content ever since. We will return to seminars on school and corporate campuses, but we will also branch out through social media to keep up with demand and reach as many people as possible.

My passion had always been providing face-to-face counseling and public seminars in front of hundreds of people which I had done purely as a volunteer. I had developed very little web-based content and the pandemic showed me that it was time to start taking the virtual environment more seriously so that I could continue to help as many people as possible, even while we were all avoiding group settings. The Bona Vias Foundation was incorporated and granted 501(c)(3) charity status during the pandemic and we have been developing new contacts and content ever since. We will return to seminars on school and corporate campuses, but we will also branch out through social media to keep up with demand and reach as many people as possible.