8-K

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):  March 19, 2008

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, Covington, Kentucky  41011

(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

P.O. Box 391, Covington, Kentucky  41012-0391

(Mailing Address)   (Zip Code)

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 March 19, 2008, Vada O. Manager, Director of Global Issues Management for NIKE, Inc., and Mark C. Rohr, President and Chief Executive Officer of Albemarle Corporation, were elected to serve as Directors in Class II and Class III, respectively, on the Board of Directors of Ashland Inc. (“Ashland”).  Mr. Manager will serve on the Board’s Finance and Personnel & Compensation committees.  Mr. Rohr will serve on the Board’s Audit and Environmental, Health & Safety committees.

Mr. Rohr was recommended for election to Ashland’s Board of Directors pursuant to a shareholder nomination process set forth in the 2005 settlement of a derivative lawsuit by Central Laborers’ Pension Fund.  This nomination was mutually agreeable to Ashland and the Fund.  Mr. Rohr’s election to the Board satisfies that provision of the settlement agreement.

Both Mr. Rohr and Mr. Manager will enter into Ashland’s standard Director Indemnification Agreement.

The election of Mr. Manager and Mr. Rohr to Ashland’s Board of Directors is discussed in more detail in the press release attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1, which is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02.

Item 9.01.     Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

99.1 Press Release dated March 20, 2008.

- 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 thereunto duly authorized.

ASHLAND INC.

(Registrant)

March 19, 2008	/s/ David L. Hausrath
	David L. Hausrath
	Senior Vice President
	and General Counsel

- 3 - -

EXHIBIT INDEX

99.1 Press Release dated March 20, 2008.

-4 -

EX-99.1

EXHIBIT 99.1

News Release

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Media Relations:	Investor Relations:
Jim Vitak	Eric Boni
(614) 790-3715	(859) 815-3527
jevitak@ashland.com	enboni@ashland.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 20, 2008

Ashland Inc. appoints Manager and Rohr to board

COVINGTON, Ky. — The board of directors of Ashland Inc. (NYSE:ASH) met late yesterday and elected Vada O. Manager and Mark C. Rohr as directors of the company. Manager will serve as a member of Ashland’s Finance and Personnel & Compensation committees. Rohr will serve on Ashland’s Audit and Environmental, Health & Safety committees.

Vada Manager, 46, currently serves as director of global issues management for Nike, Inc., a hybrid role of in-house business consultant and strategic communications advisor for the global company. Prior to this position, Manager held various management positions at Nike, including senior strategist, advisor to senior management and project manager, in multiple areas of the company, beginning in 1997. Before joining Nike, he performed in a similar role at Levi Strauss & Co.’s global headquarters in San Francisco and was also a vice president of the Washington, D.C.-based public affairs firm, Powell Tate, a part of Weber Shandwick. Manager, also a former vice president of public finance for a Phoenix-based NYSE brokerage firm, holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Arizona State University and performed graduate work at the London School of Economics.

Mark Rohr, 56, is president and chief executive officer of Albemarle Corp. Prior to this position, he held several executive positions with Albemarle, including chief operating officer and executive vice president – operations. Before joining Albemarle, he served with Occidental Chemical Corp. as senior vice president – specialty chemicals. Rohr holds bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and chemical engineering from Mississippi State University. He is also a director of Celanese Corp. and serves on the executive committee of the American Chemistry Council and the board of directors of the Wildlife Habitat Council.

- more -

Ashland Inc. ● Covington, Ky.● 41012-0391 ● (859) 815-3333 ● www.ashland.com

Ashland Inc. board appointments - 2

           Ashland Inc., a diversified, global chemical company, provides quality products, services and solutions to customers in more than 100 countries. A FORTUNE 500 company, it operates through four divisions: Ashland Performance Materials, Ashland Distribution, Valvoline and Ashland Water Technologies. To learn more about Ashland, visit www.ashland.com.

- 0 -

FORTUNE 500 is a trademark of Time Inc.