RECOGNIZING EUGENE P. VUKELIC FOR HIS SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY AND COMMUNITY; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 179
(Extensions of Remarks - November 08, 2019)
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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1403]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING EUGENE P. VUKELIC FOR HIS SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY AND
COMMUNITY
______
HON. BRIAN HIGGINS
of new york
in the house of representatives
Friday, November 8, 2019
Mr. HIGGINS of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Eugene
P. Vukelic, a business leader who has devoted his life to service,
giving back again and again to the people of Western New York.
Gene joined the United States Marine Corps in September of 1955 and
served active duty with the United States Marine Corps 3rd Marine
Division. He was stationed in Japan, rose to the rank of Corporal, and
continued his military service until his discharge in April of 1963.
Following his military service, Gene became president of Try-It
Distributing Co., Inc. in 1960, when he took over the company from his
father, Stephen. The company originated as a small beer distributor
with 12 stakeholders in the late 1920s, and today has over 625
stakeholders and serves Western New York clients from a state-of-the-
art sales and service center in Lancaster, New York. Try-It
Distributing is the exclusive Western New York distributor of Budweiser
beer and related Anheuser-Busch products, and now includes subsidiaries
Balkan Beverage and Saratoga Eagle Sales & Service. Try-It is the
largest distributor of Labatt products worldwide. Gene has now been
with Try-It for more than six decades.
Gene and his wife Carole Rose were married in 1958, and are parents
to eight children, including six sons: Gregory (who passed away in
1981), Paul, Tim, Matt, Jeff and Peter; and two daughters Mary Ellen
Sullivan and Suzanne Mahoney. Four sons work for Try-It, continuing the
company's family legacy that has now spanned three generations.
Gene's focus has always been to give back to our community. He has
contributed an extensive amount of volunteer leadership over the course
of his career. Not-for-profit agencies, institutions and charities
including Muscular Dystrophy Association, Nardin Academy, Canisius
College, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Our Lady of Victory Services,
in addition to Father Baker Charities have all benefited from Gene's
generosity.
Gene is the recipient of numerous professional and civic awards and
recognitions for his leadership of Try-It and his civic endeavors. Gene
was awarded the Caritas Award from the St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation
in 2003, recognized as Humanitarian of the Year from Hope of Tomorrow
in 2008, and was the recipient of the Buffalo Niagara Business Ethics
Award in 2018. In 2019, Gene was inducted into the Buffalo Business
Hall of Fame. Gene has also served as president of several local
organizations, including Mercy Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees
and the Buffalo Executives Association.
Madam Speaker, I recognize an honorable military veteran and a pillar
of our community, Eugene P. Vukelic, and I hope that you and our
colleagues will join in honoring Gene for his lifetime of service to
the people of Western New York.
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