Air Products Appoints Julie O'Brien Corporate Sustainability Manager

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., July 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Air Products (NYSE: APD) today announced the appointment of Julie O'Brien to the position of corporate sustainability manager.

In this new role, O'Brien is responsible for developing and managing the company's sustainability initiatives, practices and reporting worldwide. She will work with senior business and functional managers and Air Products' Sustainability Council to drive achievements against the company's sustainability growth strategy and improvement targets.

O'Brien joined Air Products in 1986 as a production engineer. Since then, she has served in a number of roles in environmental technology, corporate communications, and product safety, including leading Air Products' Responsible Care® implementation and managing the company's Responsible Care Management System (RCMS) certification. Most recently, O'Brien managed product safety global regulatory compliance and ISO9001 and FDA compliance for gas products.

Pat Loughlin, vice president, Environment, Health, Safety and Quality and chair of Air Products' Sustainability Council, noted that creation of the corporate sustainability manager role is directly tied to the company's commitment to engage stakeholders and continuously improve its sustainability performance. "As we work to provide innovative gas and technology solutions to meet pressing market needs, Julie's strong background and experience in managing a variety of sustainability-related issues will help us drive against our targets and pursue our best sustainability opportunities," he said.

O'Brien graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1986 with a B.S. in chemical engineering and from Lehigh University in 1996 with an M.S. in civil (environmental) engineering.

To learn more about sustainability at Air Products, visit the company's Web site or read its newly-released 2010 Global Reporting Initiative G3 Sustainability Report at www.airproducts.com/responsibility.

Air Products (NYSE: APD) serves customers in industrial, energy, technology and healthcare markets worldwide with a unique portfolio of atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials, and equipment and services. Founded in 1940, Air Products has built leading positions in key growth markets such as semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, home healthcare services, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. The company is recognized for its innovative culture, operational excellence and commitment to safety and the environment. In fiscal 2009, Air Products had revenues of $8.3 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and 18,900 employees around the globe. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

***NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements. Actual results could vary materially, due to changes in current expectations.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A photo of Julie O'Brien is available in Air Products' online Press Room at www.airproducts.com/PressRoom/CompanyNews/Archived/2010/13Jul2010.htm.

SOURCE Air Products