Natural Resources >> CEO Interviews >> December 20, 1999
H. A. WAGNER joined Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. in 1963 in the
company's applied research and development department. He is Chairman of
the Board and CEO of the company. He subsequently held sales positions
in the Pittsburgh and Cleveland districts of the Industrial Gas Division
(IGD), and in 1967 he was named IGD western region manager. Mr. Wagner
moved to the United Kingdom in 1970 as general manager for IGD and in
1976 became general manager of Continental Europe for the division. He
returned to the U.S. in 1980 as general manager of sales and regional
development for IGD and one year later became vice president of sales
for IGD in the U.S. In 1982 Mr. Wagner was elected vice president,
corporate planning, and in 1987 moved to the company's Chemicals Group
where he was named vice president, business divisions. He became
president of Air Products Europe in 1988 and executive vice president of
world gases and equipment in 1990. In January 1991 Mr. Wagner was
elected to Air Products' Board and later that year became president and
chief operating officer. He assumed his current position in May 1992. A
California native, Mr. Wagner received a Bachelor of Science degree in
Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University in 1958 and an MBA from
Harvard University in 1963. In 1982 he completed the Stanford Executive
Program. In 1998 Mr. Wagner received an Honorary Doctorate of
Engineering degree from Lehigh University, and an Honorary Doctorate of
Laws degree from Moravian College in 1999. He served in the U.S. Air
Force from 1958-1961 as an officer in the Strategic Air Command. Mr.
Wagner serves on the board of directors of CIGNA Corporation, PACCAR,
United Technologies Corporation, and Daido-Hoxan, Japan's second largest
industrial gas company. He is a member of the Policy Committee of the
national Business Roundtable, a member of the executive committee of the
Pennsylvania Business Roundtable, a member of The Business Council, and
on the board of Eisenhower Exchange Fellowships. Mr. Wagner also serves
on the board of trustees of Lehigh University and is a member of
KidsPeace' National Council for Kids. Profile
and Chemicals, enough of a historical sketch or a background summary
that gives us a good context from your own perspective,
