Most Admired CEOs

Leadership is woven through the fabric of the C. T. Bauer College of Business, and fundamental to the Bauer College branding statement and mandate, The Future Is Our Business.

A Bauer College Board (BCB) member and a graduate of Bauer’s vaunted MBA program have been singled out for outstanding leadership skills. BCB member Janette Marx, CEO of the global workforce solutions company Airswift, and Darcie Wells (MBA ’03), President and CEO of the innovative healthcare non-profit, CanCare, are among those who will be honored at the Houston Business Journal (HBJ) 2023 Most Admired CEO Awards ceremony August 24.

“Marx and Wells are emblematic of the Bauer College commitment to transform lives, advance organizations and better society,” said Bauer College Dean and Cullen Distinguished Chair Paul A. Pavlou. “We are very proud of their achievements, and their well-earned reputations as dynamic leaders at the helm of influential and successful organizations.”

Marx, the 2022 Chairman of the Board for the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce (GHWCC), has been CEO of Airswift Worldwide Resources since June 2018. She joined Swift as COO in 2014, leading the integration of Swift and Air Energi, which merged to form Airswift in 2016. Marx is a 25-year industry veteran known for her focus on growth, both financially and culturally. Under Marx's leadership, Airswift has grown through dedicated development of its leaders and employees as well as transformational technology projects. Prior to joining Airswift, Marx spent 19 years at The Adecco Group, ultimately running the engineering, technical, medical, and science divisions.

Marx joined the Bauer College Board in 2020 and was named a 2022 Trailblazing Woman by Pride Global. She was featured on the 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 Staffing Industry Analysts' Staffing 100 in North America lists. In 2018, Marx won a GRIT award for being a pioneering female and energy executive. Marx was also recognized as an energy industry leader by the Houston Business Journal's Women Who Mean Business awards in 2019 and was named a Global Leader of Influence by the World Affairs Council in 2020. She earned an MBA from Duke University Fuqua School of Business.

Wells joined CanCare after 12 years of progressive leadership roles with March of Dimes and eight years with the University of Houston. CanCare, established by a cancer survivor in 1990, has provided one-on one cancer support, support groups and health care services for tens of thousands of individuals. Since becoming CEO, Wells has increased CanCare revenues dramatically in order to expand the organization’s ability to aid people with cancer.

“I am amazed by the impact of CanCare on our friends facing cancer and I am honored to lead the organization at such a pivotal time,” Wells said. “CanCare is there to replace fear with hope. All of our lives have been or will be touched by cancer, and everyone should be able to have a survivor by their side through their cancer journey. I am proud to serve this incredible mission and guide it to even greater impact for those in need.”

Wells holds a management degree from Louisiana State University, in addition to her Bauer College MBA. She was named an HBJ Women Who Mean Business honoree of 2020.

Marx and Wells are among 49 outstanding CEOs to be honored Thursday, Aug. 24 at the Marriott Marquis Houston, and in a special section of HBJ’s Aug. 25 weekly edition.