John R. Hall

Recipient of Leadership Kentucky’s

2004 Flame of Excellence Award

Mr. Hall joined Ashland Inc. in 1957 as a chemical engineer. He became president of Ashland Chemical Company in 1971 and was elected executive vice president of the corporation in 1974. He was elected chairman and chief executive officer in 1981. He retired as chief executive officer in September 1996 and as chairman of the board January 1997.

Mr. Hall is a member of the Humana Inc. board of directors, GrafTech International Ltd., and United States Enrichment Corporation. His extensive leadership involvement in education includes past president of the Vanderbilt University board of trust and continues to serve as a trustee, is a member of Vanderbilt's Engineering School Committee of Visitors. He serves on the board of curators of Transylvania University, and has received honorary degrees from the University of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University, Kentucky State, Marshall, Morehead State, Northern Kentucky, and Transylvania Universities. He is chair, Commonwealth Fund for Kentucky Educational Television (KET); chairman; Blue Grass Community Foundation, president, Markey Cancer Foundation; and past chair, Leadership Kentucky.

In addition, he has held several national posts including past chairman, National Petroleum Refiners Assoc., and board member, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.Mr. Hall graduated in 1955 magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University where he was co-captain of the football team. Mr. Hall and his wife, Donna, reside in Lexington.

The Flame of Excellence Award was established in 2002 by the Leadership Kentucky Board of Directors at the first annual Executive Forum conference in Lexington, Kentucky. The award honors an outstanding Kentuckian, who bravely goes before and lights the way for others