Villani Landshapers' John Ondrejicka Named To WLCA Hall Of Fame

John Ondrejicka, affectionately known to his co-workers and clients as “Johnny O,” has been a lifelong landscaper who got his start in the industry in 1975 at Lied’s Nursery in Sussex. For the past 11 years, he has finished out his career as a landscape foreman at Villani Landshapers, where he has used his experience and skills to mentor those who are new to the industry.

Johnny’s involvement in the Wisconsin Landscape Contractors Association (WLCA) spans his career – he was an inaugural Certified Landscape Technician (CLT) certificate holder in 1996 and served as a CLT test judge for every year since achieving his CLT.

Over his career, he’s received 14 WLCA awards (two of which became Judges Choice) and two American Landscape Contractors Association (ALCA) awards, one of which became Judges Choice in 1988.

Johnny has been a regular attendee at WLCA monthly meetings and has always been passionate about passing on his love of the industry to the next generation.

In 2019, participants of the Metropolitan Builders Association (MBA) Building Trades Day voted Johnny’s introduction to laying a paver patio as the ”Best Overflow Station” of the day.

Throughout his career, Johnny has been passionate about client satisfaction, stating that, “I believe I canmake a difference to produce the finest results and ultimate client satisfaction.”

John Ondrejicka with the Villani Landshapers staff at the 2022 WLCA Awards Banquet in Milwaukee, WI.

Dave Held, Villani Landshapers' Landscape Construction Branch Manager said:

"I started working at Lied’s with Johnny in the spring of 1979. He was already a Foreman. We worked together on many pond projects. Johnny did an amazing job developing water features working with outcrop stone that fit into the landscape as if they were always there. He has an amazing ability to picture how a job should look and go out and build it that way and he carried that over to Villani Landshapers during his time with us."

Johnny officially retired from Villani Landshapers and the landscape industry active field work in the fall of 2021.

Johnny’s commitment to excellence and improvement throughout his career has been a true asset to his employers and his clients.