ST. PAUL, Minn., March 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Experienced finance leader Jean Briand has joined CHS Inc. (NASDAQ: CHSCP) - the nation's leading farmer-owned cooperative and a global energy, grains and foods company - as senior vice president, Finance, for its global Ag Business operations.

https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20150302/178952

Briand joins CHS from Nestle Waters North America where he has been chief financial officer of that $3 billion retail water business. Briand will focus on the strategic financial needs of the growing CHS global ag business.

"Jean will serve as a business partner to our global Ag Business operations, as well as our overall finance area, providing insightful focus that drives profitable growth and efficiency in the execution of our business plans," said Tim Skidmore, CHS executive vice president and chief financial officer. "Jean's deep financial and leadership skills will be tremendous assets for CHS at this time of significant growth and change as we embrace new opportunities to help our farmer-owners and customers grow."

Briand will report to Skidmore with a focus on the CHS global agriculture operations led by Shirley Cunningham, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Ag Business and Enterprise Strategy.

Including his most recent role with its waters business, Briand has spent nearly a decade with Nestle, previously serving as vice president of finance and business effectiveness and technology on the Nestle Walmart business and as controller and business development director for Nestle Waters. Prior to joining Nestle he held several financial positions with Pitney Bowes Inc.

He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Bishop's University, Quebec, Canada, and a master's of business administration from New York University's Stern School of Business. He also is a certified public accountant and a certified managerial accountant.

CHS Inc. (www.chsinc.com) is a leading global agribusiness owned by farmers, ranchers and cooperatives across the United States. Diversified in energy, grains and foods, CHS is committed to helping its customers, farmer-owners and other stakeholders grow their businesses through its domestic and global operations. CHS, a Fortune 100 company, supplies energy, crop nutrients, grain marketing services, animal feed, food and food ingredients, along with business solutions including insurance, financial and risk management services. The company operates petroleum refineries/pipelines and manufactures, markets and distributes Cenex(®) brand refined fuels, lubricants, propane and renewable energy products.

This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are based on management's current expectations and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the potential results discussed in the forward-looking statements. The company undertakes no obligations to publicly revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances. For a discussion of additional factors that may materially affect management's estimates and predictions, please view the CHS Inc. annual report filed on Form 10-K for the year ended Aug. 31, 2014, which can be found on the Securities and Exchange Commission web site (www.sec.gov) or on the CHS web site www.chsinc.com.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150302/178952

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chs-names-briand-senior-vice-president-for-ag-business-finance-300043956.html

SOURCE CHS Inc.