Joe Wells received his BA degree from Yale University and his LLB from the Law School of the University of Virginia. He was an associate with the New York law firm Shearman & Sterling (1957-61) until he joined the Swiss International chemical firm J.R. Geigy, S.A., as General Counsel of their U.S. affiliate (1961-70). After the CIBA-GEIGY merger he was Secretary of the Board of Directors of the U.S subsidiary (1970 -74), Special Counsel to the Japanese affiliate in Tokyo (1974-78) , and an officer of the parent company, Ciba-Geigy,S.A., in Basel, Switzerland, responsible for Regional Services Latin America (1978-81) and Group Management Development (1981-87). Joe’s final position with the firm was Chairman of the Board and President of Ciba-Geigy Canada (1987-92).

He has served on the Boards of the United Way of Westchester County New York, the League of Women Voters of Pinellas County Florida and, most recently, the Board of Governors of the Pinellas County Community Foundation.