Each year, past recipients of the Marine of the Year award vote for a candidate from current membership. Chaplain Gerry Kunic was awarded the Marine of the Year 2016 and presented by Adjudent Phil Cerussi. This award is given on the dedication and service to the league and community.
Gerry is a native of Lawrenceville where he attended Peabody High School. After graduation in June 1964, he enlisted in the Marine Corps. His first home as a Marine was Parris Island, SC where his MOS was 0141 Administrator and then shipped to the Marine Corps Automated Service Center in Kansas City, MO. In September 1967, he was deployed to Vietnam and assigned to the Data Processing Platoon #10 (the first mobile combat platoon) where he supported the FLSG-A and the 1st and 3rd Marine Divisions, 1st Marine Air Wing and Army units in the Hue-Phu Bai area. Their missision was to arm, feed and clothe the troops from Phu Bai to the DMZ. After this tour, he was sent to Da Nang and discharged in June 1969 at the rank of Seargant after serving five years in the USMC.
Using the GI Bill, Gerry attend Robert Morris College and obtained a business degree. He raised through the ranks at Mellon Bank to become the CEO at three community banks and retired in 2013.
Gerry and wife, Mary (McCrea), were married in 1973 and have two children and three grandaughters. Gerry has been a member of the Three Rivers MCL since 2003 and currently is the league’s Chaplain. He participates in many of the league’s activities and is on the committee for the golf outing and pasta dinner fund raisers. 
He is also a member of the Vietnam Veterans, Inc., spends many hours as a volunteer at the VA hospital for the “End of Life Program,” and a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus. He is an usher at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church and is involved in many of the church events. What little leisure time he has is spent playhing softball in the North Allegheney County Senior Softball league and downtime is spent reading history and mystery books.