Mueller Associates has announced that Richard Mueller, PE, former company Chairman, President, and Director of Design and Administration, passed away on September 17 in Florida at the age of 92. Mueller joined the firm shortly after its establishment in 1966 and served as President from 1968 until 1984, when he transitioned to the role of Chairman. He retired in 1995.
A skilled mechanical engineer and project manager, Mueller helped build the fledgling mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering firm into one of the mid-Atlantic region’s most prominent consulting practices. Major projects during his tenure included building systems design for the Lyric Opera House, the Washington National Cathedral, and North Arundel Hospital. Mueller was instrumental in the development of long-term client relationships: the firm’s ongoing work for the Baltimore Museum of Art dates to 1976 and early projects for the Smithsonian Institution date to 1978. He also oversaw consulting work for Northrop Grumman that began in 1976; to date the firm has completed more than 1,000 projects for the global contractor.
Mueller’s engineering career began in 1950 at Glen L. Martin Co., followed by positions with Henry Adams in Baltimore, Nash M. Love in Washington, D.C., and the State of Maryland. Invited by a fellow engineer to join Mueller Associates (then known as Engineering Services Company, or ENSERCO) in January 1967, he soon purchased the firm and grew it from a four-person, one-room practice to a thriving consulting operation serving a wide range of clients in the cultural, higher education, and civic markets.
A graduate of the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Mueller earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from The Johns Hopkins University (1960) and was a Registered Engineer in several states. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served in Korea from 1946–1948. Mueller was a Director of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Maryland, a Life Member and President (1979–80) of the Baltimore chapter of ASHRAE, and a member of the Maryland Society of Professional Engineers.
“Richard Mueller was instrumental in establishing the exceptional reputation that our firm continues to enjoy today,” says Robert Marino, PE, LEED AP, President and CEO of Mueller Associates. “He was an ideal leader for those foundational years. Richard was an excellent engineer, a remarkable judge of talent, an inspirational mentor, and a visionary in understanding that the MEP engineering profession should readily embrace emerging technologies and innovations. Most importantly, he understood the importance of cultivating long-term client relationships. He valued the client’s perspective above all and emphasized trust, integrity, and accountability in everything we do.”
Marino added that Mueller remained interested in the firm after his retirement and stayed in contact with long-time employees. “He was very proud that the firm continued to operate under his name,” says Marino. “He always had a kind word and was very encouraging. We will certainly miss him.”
A memorial service will be held on Monday, October 4, at 11 a.m. at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Catonsville, Maryland, followed by interment at Lorraine Park Cemetery in Woodlawn.
Source: Mueller Associates
