Joel Gustafson was named to Connecticut's 1955 All State Football team as an offensive end from East Haven High School.

While earning his degree at Lafayette, 1960, Gustafson was Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities, Kappa Sigma, Maroon Key, Athletic Club president, co-captain of track team, football, 440 yard dash school record holder 46.78.

In 1995 Gustafson was a key facilitator for Mickey Markoff's Air & Sea Show along Fort Lauderdale Beach.

Prior to his position with the U.S. Congress, he was appointed to the Florida Commission on Ethics by four separate Governors (Bob Graham, Lawton Chiles, Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist) between 1978 and 2004.

In 1974, he received a presidential appointment to the National Highway Safety Advisory Committee to the U.S. Department of Transportation.