FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

                                                Stan Lampe
                                                (606) 329-4061

                                                FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                JANUARY 25, 1996

HALL ANNOUNCES PLANS
TO RETIRE IN FISCAL 1997

Ashland,  Ky. - John R.  Hall,  chairman  and chief  executive  officer  of
Ashland Inc.,  (NYSE:ASH)  announced  today his plans to step down as chief
executive  officer  Oct. 1 and retire as  chairman  of the board in January
1997. Paul W. Chellgren,  Ashland's  current  president and chief operating
officer, will succeed Mr. Hall in a two-step process.
     Chellgren,  53, will become chief executive  officer (CEO) Oct. 1, the
start of Ashland's 1997 fiscal year, and chairman at the regular meeting of
the board of directors next January.
     "This is part of our  corporation's  succession  planning  process and
will provide for an orderly transition," said Hall.
     "Paul Chellgren is a 22-year veteran of our company and has been a key
member of our core management team for the past 15 years,  serving the last
four years as president,  chief operating officer and a member of our board
of  directors."  Hall said.  "Throughout  his career,  he's proved to be an
outstanding  operational  and  financial  manager.  He  definitely  has the
foresight  and  ability  essential  to  leading a complex  organization  in
today's  competitive  environment.  I can think of no other  responsibility
more suited to his skills, and I know he will lead Ashland  successfully in
the years ahead."
     Hall,  who  will  turn 64 in  November,  will  complete  15  years  as
Ashland's  chairman and chief  executive  officer by Oct. 1, when Chellgren
assumes the role of CEO. By next January, Hall's entire career with Ashland
will have spanned more than 39 years. Upon retirement, Hall plans to devote
more time to  education.  Among many  educational  interests,  he serves as
president of the  Vanderbilt  University  Board of Trust.  He also plans to
devote more time to personal interests,  such as service on other corporate
boards, and spend more time in leisure activities.

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     " John Hall has set a challenging  example,"  Chellgren  said.  "He is
highly  regarded  throughout the industry for his knowledge of the refining
business  and his  deftness  at steering  the  company  through a turbulent
period in the oil  industry.  At the same  time,  he  successfully  altered
Ashland's  strategic course to build a stronger,  more diversified  company
less  dependent on refining.  It's tough to diversify and maintain focus on
your  core  business  at the same  time,  but John Hall  succeeded  and the
company is better for it."
     "I am pleased and honored by John's and the board's  confidence in me,
and I look forward to working with John during this time of transition  and
to   assuming   these  new   responsibilities,"   Chellgren   added.   "Our
concentration  has been and will continue to be on  strategies  and actions
that provide long-term benefits to our shareholders,  our customers and our
employees."
     Ashland  Inc.  is a large  energy  and  chemical  company  engaged  in
petroleum refining and marketing;  coal; highway construction;  and oil and
gas exploration and production. Ashland Chemical is the largest distributor
of  chemicals  and  plastics  in North  America  and a leading  supplier of
specialty  chemicals  worldwide.  Ashland's  major consumer  brands include
Valvoline(R)  motor oils,  Zerex(R)  antifreeze  and Pyroil(R)  Performance
Products automotive  chemicals.  As one of the largest independent refiners
in the nation,  Ashland is also a leading regional gasoline marketer,  with
products marketed under the SuperAmerica(R) and Ashland(R) brand names.


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