[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 179 (Friday, November 8, 2019)]
[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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