COEUR d’ALENE — Jon Mueller of Landmark Landscape Architects received an American Society of Landscape Architects award last week in Chicago.

The prestigious national award, the President’s Medal, was awarded during the organization’s national conference for his “exceptional leadership, service and dedication to the ASLA.”

“Jon’s many years of volunteerism to the society have directly benefited the profession and, by extension, all landscape architects,” ASLA President Dick Zweifel wrote in Mueller’s award announcement. “Jon has consistently shown his skill in working for best outcomes and lasting resolutions while representing and valuing the contribution of all participants.”

Mueller, who has served 12 years in various roles of leadership in the national ASLA, said he has served as chapter president, trustee, vice president of government affairs, chair of policy, finance and investments committees, and finally as president of the national ASLA.

“It is a high honor. I am humbled,” Mueller said. “I was in a room full of past presidents who have never been selected for this award.”

The awarding of the President’s Medal is a very personal choice, an honor the national society’s president bestows on a member before stepping down, Mueller said.

Mueller said he has worked with Zweifel on a number of projects throughout the years, but he never expected to hear his name called when it came time to hand out the award.

“To have your name called out of the blue like that is exciting, exhilarating and humbling all at once,” he said. “It was really something else to share the stage with the other award winners. It was like — pinch me.”

Mueller said he has tackled many projects volunteering for the society. He mainly worked on licensure issues and challenges, and worked with Zweifel on an effort to get licensure for landscape architects in all 50 states.

As a result, Mueller has traveled to 45 of the United States, but his profession has taken him all over the world.

One of his favorite projects was helping to design a city in Coalstrip, Mont., for 1,500 people who were working at the coal-fired electricity generating plant that was located there. Mueller said he worked with other professionals on the integrated design concept.

“It was wild,” he said. “It was absolutely wild.”

Mueller said after all his travels, he landed back in Coeur d’Alene, where he designed a number of projects.

He designed the Northwest Boulevard entrance to the city and the Higher Education Corridor.

He also designed several parks, including Riverstone Park, The Landings Park and Ramsey Park. He has also designed public buildings like Spokane Valley City Hall.

For more information about Landmark Landscape Architects, visit landmark-aw.com.