Joe Robinson was born in Des Moines, Iowa, and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1962 before enrolling at Grandview Community College. After graduating from Grandview, he attended the University of Northern Iowa where he attained his bachelor’s degree in accounting and business education in1967 and his master’s degree in marketing education in 1972. Robinson served two years (1968-1970) in the U.S. Army in Korea as the head of the Overseas Transportation Office. He received his doctorate in vocational administration and adult education from the University of Missouri in 1977.
As a young professional, Robinson worked as a marketing/distributive education instructor in Park Forest and Olympic Fields, Illinois, before accepting an instructor position with the University of Missouri College of Education.
In 1975, he accepted the position of assistant professor at the University of Wyoming. Eight years later he moved to Lawton, where he was named director of industry services at Great Plains Technology Center. From 1986-1993 he served as campus director and deputy superintendent at Tulsa Technology Center. In 1993, he was named superintendent at Indian Capital Technology Center. He also worked as vice president of Connors State College, assistant superintendent at Meridian Technology Center, assistant campus director at East Valley Institute of Technology in Mesa, Arizona, and adjunct faculty in the Oklahoma State University College of Education.
He also served as a field service coordinator, manager of technology center services and associate state director at the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education.
Robinson was named a member of the State Job Coordinating Council and was active on the local Chamber of Commerce committees in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Muskogee, where he was elected chairman. He also served as a member and chairman of the Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools, as president of the Oklahoma Technology Superintendents Association and as a member of the Distance Education Policy Committee.
He served as Association for Career and Technical Education Region IV vice president from 1994-1997 and on the ACTE national board of directors during the same time period. He was a state team leader for the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, a National DECA board of directors member and national chairperson of the professional division of DECA.
He received the Oklahoma Vocational Association Educator of the Year Award for the Administration Division and the Arch Alexander Award from the Oklahoma Association for Career and Technical Education, which he was honored to receive with his wife.
He has been actively involved in his community including serving as a committee member for the Tulsa and Muskogee United Way, as Oklahoma Special Olympics chair and board member, St. Joseph’s Catholic School board member in Muskogee and an Albany County school board member in Laramie, Wyoming.
Robinson worked 47 years in education before his retirement in 2016. He is married to Judy Robinson, also a retired CareerTech administrator. They have three daughters, Marla, who lives in Oklahoma, and Nicolle (Matt) and Jodi (Chris) who live in Colorado. They have five amazing grandsons: Harrison, Grayson, Brayden, Carson and Ryder.
Robinson continues his leadership in CareerTech education through his consulting and committee work with CTE programs in Douglas County School District in Castle Rock, Colorado.
He was inducted into the CareerTech Hall of Fame in 2024.
