Steven Bonica

Steven Bonica

BONICA is pronounced Boh-NEE-kah, like in Italian — with the accent on the second syllable. The family name’s origin is from Sicily through the great-grandfather (Pierro Bonica), a master stone carver who came to Transylvania during the Austro-Hungarian rule in late 1800’s near city of Oradea, currently in county of Bihor, Romania.

Enriching lives, connecting people, strengthening relationships!

CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS,
MARKETING AND MEDIA OUTREACH

Tel. Direct: +1 (708) 243-2727
Tel. Office: +1 (847) 477-3498
Email: steven.bonica@gmail.com

Office address:
ROMANIAN HERITAGE CENTER NFP
81 N. Broadway Street
Des Plaines, IL 60016

MEDIA:

  • Founder, Editor-in-Chief, and Publisher of  Romanian Tribune Newspaper (TRIBUNA ROMÂNEASCĂ) – TRIBUNA.US
    (Printed twice a month since January 2002, with daily updates online.)
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    NEWSPAPER’s SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS:

  • Producer of video documentaries REPERE ROMÂNEȘTI (aka: Romanian Landmarks) – that document real people, events, histories, cultural topics, or social issues.
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  • Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of  BISERICI.US Encyclopedic Almanac of all Romanian Churches of all denominations in the United States published in printed version and online interactive comprehensive portal (since December 2023)
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  • Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of the  Romanian-American Yellow Pages – FindRomanians.US
    with 5 printed editions (1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2007), with the latest edition published in its entirety online.
    * A new and improved portal is under construction and launching soon, leveraging cutting-edge technology to meet the evolving needs of our community.
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  • Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of  Romanian IMPACT Magazine (monthly, Jan. 2001 – Dec. 2007)
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  • Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of  Center Focus Annual Review (1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998)

PUBLIC SPEAKING:

  • Engaging presentations and workshops on community building and development, effective networking strategies, and the transformative power of associations in fostering collaboration, leadership, and sustainable growth within communities and organizations.
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  • Committed to advancing the principles of Faith, Family, and Freedom, with an emphasis on building fellowship and developing youth programs that inspire character, service, and purpose.

SOCIAL & CULTURAL ACTIVITY:

  • Established Mihai Eminescu Romanian Library in a Romanian church in Detroit, Michigan, shortly after arrival in United States in 1984
  • Co-founder of  Eastern European American Friendship Organization in Los Angeles in summer of 1986
  • Founder of  Center Focus Publishing – Romanian-American publishing house in the Chicago area in August of 1995
  • Founder of the Romanian Tribune Library & Research Center in Niles, Illinois in December 2002
  • Founder & Organizer of the Romanian Heritage Festival – with four annual editions (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013), acknowledged as the largest Romanian festival in the Chicago area
  • President & Founder of the  Romanian Heritage Center NFP (Centrul Cultural „Origini Românești”) in summer of 2020, a not-for-profit cultural learning and research center focused on Romanian heritage, history, and traditions. The organization’s inception is rooted in decades of dedicated community service and proven integrity. It serves as a hub for cultural preservation, education, community engagement, and research related to Romanian and Romanian-American culture. More information and image galleries from various events available on the organization’s official Facebook page.

FAMILY LIFE:

  • Born on October 16, 1965, in Oradea, Romania – the western part of Transylvania
  • Stripped of Romanian citizenship in December 1982, at the age of 17, along with both parents and two sisters, was issued a “Passport for a Person of No Citizenship” and permitted to emigrate while escaping persecution under the communist dictatorship.
    After 19 months of advocacy by relatives in the United States and assistance from Michigan Senator Carl Levin through the U.S. Department of State, finally arrived in the United States of America in the summer of 1984 with both parents and two younger sisters as political refugees.
  • Three years later met Simona Julia Oprea in Chicago—also Romanian-born and raised, and a legal U.S. resident since 1983 at age 14—and they married in December 1987.
  • A Level II Adjunct Faculty member of the English department at Harper College, advanced English private tutor, Managing Editor, and Publisher, Simona has been the essential force and steadfast partner behind the success of every initiative launched by Steven.
  • Together, Steven and Simona have two daughters (Stephanie and Rebecca/Becca), and three grandchildren: Sienna (7.5), Sophia (4.5), and Augustin (22 months).
  • Proudly preserving the Romanian language passing it on to both daughters and all three grandchildren.

LINKEDIN PROFILES:

STEVEN BONICA: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-v-bonica/
SIMONA J. BONICA: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simona-julia-bonica-268629b9/

 

 

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