Annual Heart of Serving Luncheon
You are cordially invited to attend the House of Heroes Heart of Serving Luncheon.
This years keynote speaker is: CHARLES R. (CHUCK) HUNSAKER
Thursday, November 3, 2022 | 11:30 a.m.
Country Club of Columbus
2610 Cherokee Avenue
Columbus, GA 31906
RSVP by October 25, 2022
706.569.7011
Buy Tickets Here!
Keynote Speaker Bio
Charles R. (Chuck) Hunsaker graduated from Capital University with a Bachelors degree in Biology and Physical Education and received a Masters degree in Athletic Administration from the University of Cincinnati. He taught science and coached track in Lima, Ohio for two years and then became a physical education instructor and the assistant track and cross country coach at the University of Cincinnati. After two years he became the head track and cross country coach (youngest in the nation), coached the university’s first All Americans in both sports, coached the first individual national champion, and still has the highest team finish ever in the NCAA championship for Cincinnati. After two years he moved to Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University) where he served as an assistant professor in the physical education department and head coach of track and cross country. He won five conference cross country team titles (first ever for the school); coached one NCAA championship team (they had never placed higher than 27th before his arrival); coached two NCAA runner-up teams; coached 22 All Americans, and two individual national champions. In 1976 he was nominated for the distance coach of the US Olympic team. He has served as Athletics advisor to the island of Barbados, helped them develop the first ever college level physical education program in the West Indies, worked with their national junior team, and assisted their Olympic team during its preparation for the 1984 Olympic Games. He has also coached the Peace Games road racing team against Canada, was twice selected as the NCAA National Cross country Coach of the Year, was selected as the Eastern Women’s Indoor Track and Cross country Coach of the Year, was selected an Outstanding Young Man in America, served as President of the National Cross country Coaches Association, is a member of the Shawnee High School Athletic Hall of Fame, the Capital University Athletic Hall of Fame, the Southwest Missouri State University Athletic Hall of Fame, both the States of Ohio and Missouri Track Halls of Fame, and recently was selected to the Shawnee High School Outstanding Graduate Hall of Fame.
In 1977 he was called to active duty as a physical education instructor at the United States Military Academy where he started the women’s track and cross country programs and served as their first coach. Three years later his teams were Eastern Champions in indoor track and cross country, finished in the top 10 nationally two times, had produced three All Americans, two individual national champions, and he was the first women’s coach to beat Navy.
Following his departure from West Point he served at Ft Harrison, Ft Knox, Ft Benning, and three tours in Panama. He has commanded three companies, a community, a battalion, and has a total of eighty-four months in command; served as a battalion and brigade XO; G1/AG of a separate brigade, G1/AG of an installation, AG of a unified command, and was the Department of Defense Representative to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Following his retirement from the Army, he served as one of the 12 members of the Army Chief of Staff’s Retiree Council.
His military schooling includes the AG Basic and Advanced (Honor Grad) courses, ACS course, Morale Support Officers course, G1/DPCA course, Army Installation Management course, Army Command and General Staff College, and the Air War College.
His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Volunteer Service Award, the Horatio Gates Medal from the Adjutant General Regiment and the Order of St. Maurice from the National Infantry Association.
Following his retirement from the Army he served as the Regional Director and Military Aide to United States Congressman Mac Collins (R-GA-3). After Congressman Collins’ failed senate campaign, he became a Project Manager, and later a division chief/deputy business manager for the Omega Training Group, Inc. During his four years with Omega, his division won contracts that increased the size of the business by 400%. After four years at Omega, he was selected to serve as Senior Project Manager for Defense and Space Issues in the Global Commerce Division of the Georgia State Department of Economic Development. He spent nearly seven years at Economic Development and is now retired.
He has been active in the Columbus, Georgia community where he served as President of the Chattahoochee Valley-Ft Benning chapter of the Association of the United States Army, member the Board of Directors of the House of Heroes, member of the board of the Columbus State University Athletic Foundation, board member of Thunder in the Valley Air Show, Inc., Chairman of the Harris County Republican party, member of the Republican State Committee, State President of the Association of the United States Army, and Chairman of the Harris County Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee. He is currently a member of the Ft Benning Retired Soldier Council, the Board of Directors of the College of Education and Health Professions Foundation at Columbus State University, Service Coordinator for the Lutheran Churches in the 8 southeast states and National President for Lutheran Men.
He is married to the former Pat Fisher of Lyndhurst, Ohio. They have two daughters, Tracy and Jody and three grandsons, Sebastian, Xander, and Alex.
