The 2021 Bob Cannon Award Lifetime Achievement Award recipient was Jesus ‘Chuy’ Medrano, honoring his commitment and contribution to the landscape industry and ALCC, and to improving the professional image of the industry. 

Medrano has long been recognized as a leader. Since the 1980s, he has been a tireless advocate for the landscape industry at the local, state and national levels. He was named to NALP's 2017 Leadership Class during the GIE+EXPO, an honor that recognizes individuals who “work hard to empower their colleagues and the industry to grow and succeed.”

Medrano has been a public face of the Colorado landscape industry, sharing his company’s story with the media, and answering consumer questions as a volunteer with ALCC’s Garden Line 9 project. 

Beyond ALCC, he helped found the National Hispanic Landscape Alliance (NHLA). Nationally, Medrano has helped promote careers in the landscape industry and sheds light on the challenges the green industry faces. His struggles with the labor shortage were profiled in 2017 by The Washington Post. 

Through CoCal, Medrano supports the future of the industry, encouraging his team to participate in the Landscape Career Pathways program and to visit local schools to help young people learn about career opportunities. Medrano has mentored his children to become leaders as well. Marisol Medrano Mejia is a leader of NALP’s Latino Landscape Network (formerly NHLA). Sons Jody and Carlos complete “Team Medrano” and are leading the company with their father. 

In the nearly three decades since Medrano co-founded CoCal Landscape—but later bought out his partner—it is clear that people are his priority. These ‘people’ include employees, customers, vendors, temporary workers and communities. According to Medrano, the CoCal team has always believed in helping the community and others in need, whether in the neighborhood or across the border in Mexico. He once admitted to Colorado Green, “People are my thing. I care about relationships.”