Joseph Downs joined American Technology Research, Inc. in February 2003 after spending nearly four years in institutional sales at SoundView. At SoundView, "Mean Joe" started in sales right out of college, and was promoted to Vice President at 23, the youngest in the history of the firm. Joe rose quickly within the sales department and ranked among the top producing sales people within the firm, by the time he left. Prior to that, Joe worked as an intern in the fixed income department at Bear Stearns.

Joe was graduated from the College of William and Mary with a BBA in Finance. At William and Mary, Joe was a Division 1 Varsity Gymnast where he led his team in point scoring for three consecutive years, was team captain for two years, still ranks 3rd in the William & Mary all time records, and achieved All American status his final two years.