Chernak was a Marine and graduated Brown University in 1951, Northwestern Law School in 1956. He became president of Tomlinson in 1966 and continued in that capacity through 1994. In 1995, he was named chairman and a senior special advisor from 1996 until his retirement in December 2003.
In addition to his wife, Arlene, Chernak is survived by four daughters and six grandchildren.