Mr. Robert M. McLaughlin, also known as Bob, has been the Chief Financial Officer of Airgas Inc., since October 3, 2006 and its Senior Vice President since October 2006. Mr. McLaughlin has been the Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of Airgas Great Lakes, Inc. since October 2006. He has been Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President of Airgas Safety Inc., since October 2006. He served as Principal Accounting Officer of Airgas Safety Inc. and also served as its Vice President. He served a Vice President of Airgas East Inc., since June 2001. He served as Vice President of Airgas Inc. since June 3, 2001, Controller since June 2001, Interim Chief Financial Officer from September 2006 to October 2006 and served as its Principal Accounting Officer. Prior to joining Airgas, he served as Vice President of Finance for Asbury Automotive Group from 1999 to 2001 and served as its Vice President. He served as Vice President of Finance and in various senior financial positions at Unisource Worldwide, Inc., from 1992 to 1999. He served as Principal Financial Officer, Principal Accounting Officer and Vice President of Airgas Great Lakes Inc., Red-D-Arc Inc., Airgas West, Inc., Airgas Mid South, Inc., Airgas Southwest Inc., Airgas Intermountain Inc., Airgas Nor Pac, Inc., Airgas South, Inc., Airgas Northern California & Nevada, Inc., Airgas North Central Inc., Airgas Specialty Gases Inc., Nitrous Oxide Corp., Airgas Data LLC and Airgas Mid America, Inc. He began his career at Ernst & Young in 1979. He served as Vice President of Airgas Carbonic, Inc. He serves as Director of Airgas East Inc. He served as Director of Airgas Great Lakes Inc., Airgas Safety Inc., Red-D-Arc Inc., Airgas West, Inc., Airgas-Southwest Inc., Airgas Intermountain Inc., Airgas-Nor Pac, Inc., Airgas Mid South, Inc., Airgas South, Inc., Airgas Northern California & Nevada, Inc., ATNL Inc., Airgas Specialty Gases Inc., Nitrous Oxide Corp., Airgas Carbonic, Inc., Airgas North Central Inc., and Airgas Mid America, Inc. He is a Certified Public Accountant. He earned his bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Dayton.