Airgas Announces Retirement of Gordon L. Keen; Dean Bertolino and Les Graff to Report Directly to CEO.

RADNOR, Pa. -- Airgas, Inc. (NYSE:ARG) today announced the retirement of Gordon L. Keen, Jr. as senior vice president, law and corporate development after completing 24 years of outstanding service to Airgas as both outside counsel and as a full-time officer of the company for the past 14 years.

"Gordon has provided excellent leadership to Airgas during every major development in its history, from the founding of the company in 1982, to our two largest acquisitions, the addition of the U.S. packaged gas businesses from Air Products in 2002 and BOC in 2004," said Airgas Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Peter McCausland. "He also has provided management and the Board of Directors with outstanding counsel as a mentor and friend."

McCausland also announced that Dean A. Bertolino, vice president, general counsel and secretary, and Leslie J. Graff, vice president, corporate development, will report directly to the CEO in their current leadership of the Law and Corporate Development teams.

"Gordon Keen's lasting contribution to Airgas has been helping to establish strong teams in both Law and Corporate Development," said McCausland. "Dean, Les and their respective teams will continue to represent Airgas in their ongoing work."

McCausland also announced that in recognition of Gordon Keen's contributions to Airgas, an annual award has been created to honor an Airgas associate who has best helped Airgas grow through acquisition or innovation. The award will be presented at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

Keen helped create Airgas in 1982 just a month after he co-founded the law firm of McCausland, Keen & Buckman; he was the lead attorney on the acquisition of Connecticut Oxygen, which marked the beginning of the Airgas story.

In 1992, he joined the company full time as vice president of corporate development, while also providing oversight to the Law department. In 1997, he was promoted to senior vice president, law and corporate development, the role he has held for the past eight years.

Bertolino joined Airgas in 2001 as vice president, general counsel and manages the day-to-day operations of the Law department. Before joining Airgas, he served as assistant general counsel for The BOC Group and began his legal career in 1994 as an associate with Brown & Wood LLP, a leading New York law firm. Bertolino received his law degree from Harvard Law School and has been admitted to the bar in New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. He earned his undergraduate degree with honors from the University of Arizona.

Graff first joined Airgas in 1989 and for the past five years has been vice president, corporate development, overseeing Airgas' acquisition activities. During his career at Airgas, Graff has served as director of corporate finance, director of corporate development, and assistant vice president, corporate development. Before joining Airgas, he served as a manager for KPMG Peat Marwick from 1983 to 1989. He earned a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Pennsylvania State University in 1983.

About Airgas, Inc.

Airgas, Inc. (NYSE:ARG), through its subsidiaries, is the largest U.S. distributor of industrial, medical, and specialty gases, and related hardgoods, such as welding equipment and supplies. Airgas is also the third-largest U.S. distributor of safety products, the largest U.S. producer of nitrous oxide and dry ice, the largest liquid carbon dioxide producer in the Southeast, and a leading distributor of process chemicals, refrigerants and ammonia products. Its 10,000 employees work in about 900 locations including branches, retail stores, gas fill plants, specialty gas labs, production facilities and distribution centers. Airgas also distributes its products and services through eBusiness, catalog and telesales channels. Its national scale and strong local presence offer a competitive edge to its diversified customer base. For more information, please visit www.airgas.com.