Where Are The Now?

Bill Cholawa

Football, 1981-84

Determined to achieve success both in the fierce profession of finance and also on the football field, Bill Cholawa has attributed his competitive trait to his athletic and academic experiences at UConn.

Cholawa, a former Husky football player who graduated in 1984, is the Regional Managing Director for the Southern New England and Upstate New York region with investment powerhouse Merrill Lynch.

Before enrolling at UConn, Cholawa attended Norwich Free Academy in Norwich, Conn., Cholawa was an outstanding and talented three sport athlete in basketball, football and baseball. He was sought after for college scholarships in the sport of football, where his passion truly lied.

When considering colleges, Cholawa eagerly chose UConn because of its close proximity to his hometown and the university’s impressive educational reputation.  Cholawa wanted to be able to play in front of his family and the community where he grew up.

Cholawa battled many injuries in football, but the turning point of his colligate career happened in the beginning of his senior year when he fractured his leg and had to sit out for the entire season.

“Looking back, the injury was adversity I’d never seen before,” said Cholawa.  “I didn’t want to go out on that note.”

Luckily, a new rule which permitted an injured athlete to gain an extra year of playing was put into effect his freshman year, allowing him to return for an addition season and continue playing the sport that he fell in love with long ago for a final year in 1983.

After graduating UConn in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science in sports marketing from the School of Education, Cholawa was invited to the New York Giants Mini-Camp. He was tested in the 40 yard dash and bench press by Coach Bill Belicheck, before being released at the end of the camp.

After the camp, Cholawa began his career as an investment executive for Prudential Securities in 1994.

In 1997 Cholawa joined Advest, a Hartford based holding company as the complex manager for the firm’s Greater Harford offices, building it into one of the firm’s most successful branches and was the Raymond Payer Manager of the Year.

“Playing on the offensive line in football helped me learn to accept blame and never take credit,” said Cholawa.

Using the lessons he learned while playing football, Cholawa continued to strive for excellence and was promoted to the position as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Advest’s private client group in 2004.

Cholawa recommends to students, “…be a sponge and draw out the experiences learned in college, because it will help you later on in life.”

Determined to give opportunities for other student-athletes to share his own experience at UConn, Cholawa continuously donates to the UConn Scholarship Fund and is a member of The UConn Club.  He has almost succeeded in his goal to repay the scholarship money he received as a student-athlete.

Cholawa remains a Husky fan, attending football games at Rentschler Field with his son.  He currently resides in Glastonbury, Conn., with his wife, Rebekah, son, Kyle and stepdaughter, Isabella.

-- Barbie Steffen