UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D. C. 20549
 
______________
 
 
FORM 8-K
 
______________
 
 
CURRENT REPORT
 
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
 
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported):  April 17, 2015
 
ASHLAND INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 

 
 
Kentucky
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
 

 
  1-32532     20-0865835  
  (Commission File Number)      (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)  
         
 
                                                                            
50 E. RiverCenter Boulevard
P.O. Box 391
Covington, Kentucky  41012-0391
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (859) 815-3333
 
 
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
 
 
[  ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
   
[  ]  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
   
[  ]
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
   
[  ]
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) 
 
 


 
 
 
 
Item 5.02.  Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers
 
On April 22, 2015, Ashland Inc. (“Ashland”) announced that Luis Fernandez-Moreno, Senior Vice President of Ashland and President of Ashland Specialty Ingredients, has been promoted by the Board of Directors to the newly created position of Senior Vice President of Ashland and President of the Chemicals Group. In this expanded role, he will continue to lead Specialty Ingredients and will assume additional management responsibility for Ashland Performance Materials. Specialty Ingredients and Performance Materials will continue to operate, and report their financial results, as separate commercial units.  For additional information about Luis Fernandez-Moreno, please see Ashland’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014 filed on November 24, 2014, Ashland’s proxy statement filed on December 3, 2014 and the Form 8-K filed on November 27, 2012, which are incorporated herein by reference.
 
In addition, Ashland announced that Theodore L. (Ted) Harris, President of Performance Materials and Senior Vice President of Ashland, submitted his resignation on April 17, 2015 to accept an offer to become chief executive officer of another public company.

These changes are discussed in more detail in the news release attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02.
 
 
Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

 
  99.1
News Release dated April 22, 2015.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
-2-
 
 
 
SIGNATURES
 
 
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
 
 
ASHLAND INC.
 
(Registrant)
   
   
April 22, 2015
/s/ Peter J. Ganz
 
Peter J. Ganz
 
Senior Vice President, General Counsel 
and Secretary
 
 
 
-3-
 
 
 
 
 
EXHIBIT INDEX
 
 
 99.1
News Release dated April 22, 2015.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

-4-


EXHIBIT 99.1

News Release         




   
April 22, 2015
 
 

Fernandez-Moreno promoted to senior vice president of Ashland and president of Chemicals Group
Expanded leadership role adds management responsibility for Ashland Performance Materials

COVINGTON, Ky. – Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH) today announced that Luis Fernandez-Moreno, senior vice president of Ashland and president of Ashland Specialty Ingredients, has been promoted to the newly created position of senior vice president of Ashland and president of the Chemicals Group. In this expanded role, he will continue to lead Specialty Ingredients and will assume additional management responsibility for Ashland Performance Materials. Specialty Ingredients and Performance Materials will continue to operate, and report their financial results, as separate commercial units. The leadership change announced today does not reflect any shift in the company’s strategy or approach to portfolio management and capital allocation.
 
Theodore L. (Ted) Harris, senior vice president of Ashland and president of Performance Materials, has resigned to accept an offer to become chief executive officer of another public company. A new leader for Performance Materials, who will report to Fernandez-Moreno, is expected to be appointed at a later date.
 
In addition, Ashland announced that Fernandez-Moreno and Sam Mitchell, Ashland senior vice president and president of Valvoline, will join Ashland’s Executive Committee.
 
“This new structure will enable both Luis and Sam to play bigger roles in the company’s ongoing decision making,” said William A. Wulfsohn, Ashland chairman and chief executive officer. “Luis is an engaged leader with a proven track record of driving profitable growth and disciplined execution across global business lines. Since assuming the leadership role at Specialty Ingredients 18 months ago, he has guided the organization through a successful global realignment that has improved its competitive position and financial performance.”

Wulfsohn continued: “On behalf of everyone at Ashland, I want to thank Ted for his many contributions over the past 11 years. He has played a pivotal role in Ashland’s transformation into a specialty chemicals company and has helped build Performance Materials into a global leader in its industry. We wish him all the best in the next step of his career.”
 
About Ashland
Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH) is a global leader in providing specialty chemical solutions to customers in a wide range of consumer and industrial markets, including architectural coatings, automotive, construction, energy, food and beverage, personal care and pharmaceutical. Through our three commercial units – Ashland Specialty Ingredients, Ashland Performance Materials and Valvoline – we use good chemistry to make great things happen for customers in more than 100 countries. Visit ashland.com to learn more.
 
- 0 -
 
C-ASH
 
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Ashland has identified some of these forward-looking statements with words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “expects,” “estimates,”  “is likely,” “predicts,” “projects,” “may,” “will,” “should” and “intends” and the negative of these words or other comparable terminology. In addition, Ashland may from time to time make forward-looking statements in its annual report, quarterly reports and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), news releases and other written and oral communications. These forward-looking statements are based on Ashland’s expectations and assumptions, as of the date such statements are made, regarding Ashland’s future operating performance and financial condition, the economy and other future events or circumstances. Ashland’s expectations and assumptions include, without limitation, internal forecasts and analyses of current and future market conditions and trends, management plans and strategies, operating efficiencies and economic conditions (such as prices, supply and demand, cost of raw materials, and the ability to recover raw-material cost increases through price increases), and risks and uncertainties associated with the following: Ashland’s substantial indebtedness (including the possibility that such indebtedness and related restrictive covenants may adversely affect Ashland’s future cash flows, results of operations, financial condition and its ability to repay debt); the impact of acquisitions and/or divestitures Ashland has made or may make (including the possibility that Ashland may not realize the anticipated benefits from such transactions); the global restructuring program (including the possibility that Ashland may not achieve the anticipated revenue and earnings growth, cost reductions, and other expected benefits from the program), Ashland’s ability to generate sufficient cash to finance its stock repurchase plans, severe weather, natural disasters, and legal proceedings and claims (including environmental and asbestos matters). Various risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ materially from those stated, projected or implied by any forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties affecting Ashland that are contained in its most recent Form 10-K (including Item 1A Risk Factors) filed with the SEC, which is available on Ashland’s website at http://investor.ashland.com or on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Ashland believes its expectations and assumptions are reasonable, but there can be no assurance that the expectations reflected herein will be achieved. Unless legally required, Ashland undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this news release whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
 
Investor Relations:
Jason Thompson
+1 (859) 815-4454
jlthompson@ashland.com
 
Media Relations:
Gary Rhodes
+1 (859) 815-3047
glrhodes@ashland.com
 
Ashland (NYSE:ASH)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024 Click Here for more Ashland Charts.
Ashland (NYSE:ASH)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024 Click Here for more Ashland Charts.