Hall of Fame Award

Founded by his father in 1957, Bill Miller, Joe joined the marine manufacturers’ representative agency William F. Miller & Associates in 1968. Joe purchased the agency in the early nineties, and coached, trained and led his team by example for several years, driving the business to greater heights with new territories, new customers, and new products to represent. 

Joe tactically maneuvered the agency through the recession, only to come out conducting business in a stronger fashion while keeping his entire team in place. He continually challenged his employees to work harder and smarter, while successfully growing the agency’s business year over year. 

He developed the concept of and continues to travel on the Gypsy Jamboree, a 53-foot trailer truck, outfitted with displays and products that is driven to the facilities of the OEM builders and select distributor locations in their territory.

Throughout these years, Joe always maintained his father’s tenants for success – integrity, honesty, and hard work. 

Joe sold the company to Hill Lenderman in 2019. And with Hill at the helm, Joe now trains the younger generation of William F. Miller & Associates’ sales reps, priding himself in a senior leadership role and dividing his time between training salesmen, assisting salesmen in each territory, calling on key accounts, business development with new accounts, and adding depth and stability with deep relationships both with our customer and factory bases. With Joe’s coaching, along with the guidance and support of the agency, four members of his sales team have been named to Boating Industry’s 40 Under 40.

Throughout his business career, Joe has remained active as a leader in the marine industry, at William F. Miller & Associates, and in his community.

Joe was an active participant and committee member in steering IBEX's growth, has served on the board of NMDA, was a member and officer of NMRA and board member of the Marine Leadership Alliance. Joe is also a fierce advocate for the marine industry, supporting and attending the annual American Boating Congress.

Joe’s leadership is noted in the honors he has received including more than 100 sales awards throughout his tenure, plus the Alan J. Freedman Award (’99), Bill Huntley American Outdoor Leadership of the Year Award (’18), the Mel Barr Award (‘19) and the Mover & Shaker Award (’21). He has also been named “Rep of The Year” by Boating Industry magazine three times and "Best Rep of the Southeast" six times.

Joe and his family are actively involved in their community, instituting the Will Miller Scholarship in 1989 at Father Ryan High School, in honor of Joe’s late brother. Joe and his wife, Linda, are also involved in UpRise Nashville, a career development program that provides training in highly sought-after skills along with leadership and personal development, to give Nashvillians a way to stop living paycheck to paycheck and launch a career. And Joe has given his time to Nashville’s Contributor newspaper, a non-profit organization that helps the city’s homeless establish their own micro-businesses and work their way into housing through selling an award-winning street paper.

An avid boater, angler, and duck hunter, Joe’s favorite passions are always enjoyed with friends from the marine industry.