Our Most Excellent Grand High Priest was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason in Milburn Lodge No. 127, Ancient Free & Accepted Masons of the State of Illinois, in Lake Villa on 4 August 2001, where served as Worshipful Master for the 2007-2008 Masonic year. He is also a charter member of the Spanish-language Amistad (“Friendship”) Lodge No. 81 in Petah Tikva (now in Ramat Gan), Israel; a plural member of Rising Sun Lodge No. 115 in Grayslake; Tranquillity Lodge No. 2000 of the Moon (temporarily in Texas until it can meet on its see); and an honorary member of Batangas Lodge No. 35 in Batangas City, Republic of the Philippines. He is a member of the Illinois Lodge of Research in Bloomington, Lodge of Research No. CC in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076 in London, England. On 18 August 2009, he was elected a member of the Masonic Relations Committee to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.

He was advanced to the degree of Mark Master on 6 November 2001, and exalted to the supreme degree of Holy Royal Arch Mason on 24 November 2001, both in Waukegan Chapter No. 41 in Waukegan, where he served as Excellent High Priest in 2004-2005, Secretary in 2005-2006; and was editor of his chapter’s newsletter, The Keystone. He has been received into the Order of High Priesthood of Illinois. H e was elected and installed as Most Excellent Grand High Priest of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the State of Illinois on 31 July 2009. He is also a member of Royal Arch Chapter of Research No. 222 in Dublin, Ireland, and a life member of the General Grand Chapter, Royal Arch Masons International, and was made an honorary member of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Michigan on 5 August 2009. In March 2010, he was appointed General Grand Chapter Ambassador to Illinois by General Grand High Priest Emory J. "Smokey" Ferguson.

Companion Santisteban  was greeted as a Select Master on 24 November 2001 and received the Super Excellent Master degree on 11 June 2005, both in Cryptic Council No. 46, Royal and Select Masters, in Palatine. He served as Thrice Illustrious Master of Cryptic Council No. 46 in 2005-2006, and of Lake Council No. 121 in Waukegan from March through July of 2005. He is a member of the Illinois Council of Thrice Illustrious Masters. He is also a life member of the General Grand Council, Cryptic Masons, International.

Joe was dubbed and created a Knight of the Valiant and Magnanimous Order of the Temple in Bethel Commandery No. 36, Knights Templar of the State of Illinois, in Palatine on 16 January 2002, serving as Eminent Commander in 2006-2007. He is a member of the Past Commanders Association.

In recognition of his service as a Past Master, Past High Priest, Past Thrice Illustrious Master, and Past Eminent Commander, Sir Knight Santisteban was received into Illinois Priory No. 11, Knight of the York Cross of Honour on 25 April 2009. He now holds the jewel of a Knight of the York Grand Cross of Honour with one (red) quadrant, in recognition of his installation as Grand High Priest on 31 July 2009. He was ordained into Simon Peter Tabernacle XXII, Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests on 5 December 2009.

Our most excellent companion was installed into the degree of Knight of the East and West in Saint Bridget Council No. 23, Knight Masons of the U.S.A., in Glenview on 12 October 2007. He was initiated into Edwin M. Lambert Council No. 319, Allied Masonic Degrees, on 30 November 2006 at Glenview. In recognition of his service to Freemasonry, Joe was created a Knight of York in Illinois York Rite College No. 15 in Chicago. He was elected and received the degree of Knight of the Masonic and Military Order of the Red Cross of Constantine and the Orders of the Holy Sepulchre and St. John the Evangelist in St. John's Conclave on 9 January 2009; and was created a frater of Illinois College, Societas Rosicruciana In Civitatibus Foederatis (Rosicrucian Society of the U.S.) on 5 December 2008. In addition to his other research bodies, he is a member of the Grand College of Rites of the United States,  the Philalethes Society, and The Masonic Society.

Brother Santisteban was created a 32° Scottish Rite Freemason and Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret on 13 November 2004 in the Valley of Chicago where he has served as a member of the Scottish Rite Army. He is a member of the Scottish Rite Research Society, and was honoured on 30 August 2006 by being installed into the Royal Order of Scotland.

Joe became a member of Gen. John J. Pershing Order No. 24 of the Sword of Bunker Hill in Peoria on 8 March 2008. Made eligible by his military rank, he was received into Lake Michigan Chapter No. 289, National Sojourners, in Libertyville; and received the degree of Heroes of ‘76 in Stephen Decatur Camp; he served as President of the chapter in 2008-2009 and is currently Commander of the camp. He is a charter member of the National Association of Masonic Scouters, having joined on 8 June 2009.  On 6 October 2009, he was accepted as a member of Middle Chamber High Twelve Club No 725 in Northbrook, and also elected the club's 3rd Vice President.

He was admitted to the Enchanted Realm and made a Veiled Prophet in El Jaala Grotto, M.O.V.P.E.R., on 29 April 2006. He was installed into the office of Venerable Prophet on 31 January 2010. He was created a Noble of the Mystic Shrine on 18 May 2002 in Medinah Shriners, A.A.O.N.M.S., and has been a member of Chicago Shriners Hospital Committee since 2004.

Our most excellent companion was initiated into the Order of the Eastern Star on 12 February 2002 in Millburn Chapter No. 570 in Lake Villa, where he served as Associate Patron in 2006. Since 2 August 2005, he has also been a member of Sorosis Chapter No. 329 in Grayslake, serving as Worthy Patron in 2006-2007. He has been a member of the Worthy Patrons’ Club of Chicago and Northern Illinois since March 2007. He is also a member of the White Shrine of Jerusalem, becoming a charter member of Liberty Shrine No. 113 in Libertyville when receiving the degree on 24 August 2002, and presided as Watchman of the Shepherds in 2007, and served as Deputy Supreme Watchman of Shepherds in 2007-2008; he is a member of the White Shrine Association of Northern Illinois. He has served as an elected member of the advisory board of Antioch Assembly No. 23, International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, in Antioch, from 2004 until 2008.

Owing largely to his work with the Masonic youth groups, Joe was awarded the Honorary Legion of Honour by the Order of DeMolay International, on 27 August 2009, at the behest of DeMolay of Illinois. He is a member of the Frank S. Land Preceptory.

Joe also maintains an active role in numerous non-Masonic organisations. He was installed into the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem on 4 October 2008. He is a member of the Autism Society of America. He has been a District Committee member and Spanish interpreter for the Northeast Illinois Council, Boy Scouts of America since 2001. He is also a member of the National Council of La Raza, Clan Wallace Society, American Legion, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, and the Nature Conservancy; and a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Air Force Security Police Association, and the Air Force Association where he is Vice President, Communications, of Chicagoland/O'Hare Chapter No. 142. As Major Santisteban, he has held numerous leadership positions in the Civil Air Patrol, recently serving as Director of Personnel and Administration for Group 22, Illinois Wing and currently as Drug Demand Reduction Administrator for the CAP's Illinois Wing.

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