Ashland Distribution

Ashland Inc. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer James J. O'Brien, 54, knows Ashland and knows the chemical business. Since 2002, he has presided over the transformation of Ashland from a multi-industry petroleum refiner and marketer with holdings in chemicals and transportation construction into a global specialty chemicals company. O'Brien guides a company of 16,000 employees working to develop products, services and solutions that, through chemistry, meet customers' needs and contribute to improved quality of life. As chairman and chief executive officer, O'Brien leads Ashland's Executive Committee, whose members set Ashland's global strategy, manage its capital, and uphold Ashland's operating principles.

"Mr. Chambers, 54, possesses extensive experience managing financial, administrative and operational functions broadly within Ashland. Elected senior vice president and chief financial officer in 2008, he oversees Ashland's worldwide financial functions and processes, including financial accounting and reporting, treasury and finance, insurance, business development, planning and analysis, investor relations, tax and internal audit activities. A member of Ashland's Executive Committee, he shares overall responsibility for setting Ashland's global strategy, managing capital, and upholding Ashland's operating principles. Chambers joined Ashland in 1976 as a staff auditor in internal auditing. During the following years, he moved through various analyst positions with then-subsidiaries Ashland Coal and Ashland Paving And Construction, Inc. (APAC). He was appointed controller for APAC in 1987. He returned to the corporate sector of Ashland as assistant controller in 1991 and, in 1994, was selected to serve as executive assistant to the chairman and CEO. In 1996, Chambers returned to Ashland's operations when he was named administrative vice president for Ashland Petroleum Company and, in 1998, vice president, finance, and controller for Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC, which was divested in 2005. Later in 1998, Chambers was designated to the position of auditor for Ashland. In 2001, he returned to APAC where he served as senior vice president, finance and administration, until 2003, when he was named vice president of regional operations. Chambers was elected vice president and controller of Ashland in 2004 and to his present role in 2008. A native of Marietta, Ga., Chambers earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of West Georgia. He is also a graduate of the Executive Development Program at Indiana University's Kelly School of Business and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. "