John Joseph Vanak (1933 - November 26, 2016) was a referee in the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association. He was a United States Navy Veteran serving during the Korean War on the USS Roosevelt. He was first employed as a sergeant for the Lansford, Pennsylvania Police Department. Vanak was also the owner of the Vanak Detective Agency for over 30 years. His boyhood nickname was "Punchy". Vanak began refereeing junior high games in 1956 to stay in shape and pick up cigarette money, but it was not until 1959 that he started to officiate in earnest.