Minnesota Professional Towing Association (MPTA)

• Charter member.
• Was instrumental in forming this association.
• Vice President, 1979-1981.
• Association President, 1981-1983.
• Prepared the first light- duty training course for the MPTA.
• Developed a training course for new troopers for the Minnesota State Patrol.

Towing and Recovery Association of America (TRAA)

• Chairman of the Education Committee and acted as Education Director from 1984-1988.
• Authored several of the courses for the TRAA.
• Responsible for all of the training for the TRAA between 1984-1988.
• Assisted in developing the national certification test program for tow truck drivers.The Federal Government later funded this program.

Society of Automotive Engineers
(SAE)

• Served as member of the Towability Committee which was influential in setting guidelines for automobile manufacturers. The guidelines recognize the issues of vehicle towability, 1989 – 1997. Currently Chairman of this committee.
• Chairman of the Recovery Attachment Point Committee, a sub-committee of the Towability Committee put in place to design a point on vehicles which could be used in the recovery of a vehicle. 1990 – 1993.
• Chairman of the Car Carrier Committee. 1990 -current. This committee was responsible for the writing of the document on specifications for car carrier use.
• Member of Service and Development Committee.
• Presenter and organizer of various informational seminars for the SAE Congress.

Transportation Research Board
(TRB)

• Served on the Automotive Technology Committee.
• Briefed the committee on issues such as incident management. Examined the inter-related issue of automobiles and road design. 1991.

Minnesota Department of Transportation
(Mn. DOT)

• Representative of the towing industry since 1989. Developed a program in conjunction with the MN. DOT and highway patrol called automatic tow.
• Developed recommended procedures for tow truck response for the incident management task force.
• Provided an annual training course to new Highway Patrol Officers. This course examined the issues of communication, teamwork and roles of the officers and towers on an accident scene. 1980 - 1990

Federal Highway Administration (FHA)

• Served on a committee for the certification of tow truck drivers.

University of Georgia

• Member of board of directors.
• Technical advisor for authors of the correspondence course.

International Institute of Towing and Recovery

• Member Board of Directors.
• Supplied technical information for the towing course developed by the Institute and the University of Georgia.
• Licensed to teach this training course.

Other Industry Information  

• Featured writer for “Tow Times” (industry trade magazine). Joe and long time friend Tom Luciano wrote articles called “Focus on Recovery”. These articles have been awarded the best trade publication articles two years in a row.
• Inducted into the Towing Hall of Fame for his work in the education of the towing industry.
• Has received three major awards from the Towing and Recovery Association of America.
• Other recent awards: America’s Greatest Trainers November, 2000.
• People’s Choice Award for Best Industry Instructor September, 2003.
• The Champion Award given by Ford Trucks April, 2005.
• Inducted into the Towing Hall of Fame 1996.