Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA), Stamford, Conn., announced that its current president and chief executive officer, Kim Jeffery, plans to step down from that position after 34 years with the company, including 20 years in that role, to assume a non-executive chairman position effective Feb. 1, 2013. He will be succeeded by Tim Brown, currently the president and chief executive officer of Nestlé Canada.

Brown, 49, has served as president and chief executive officer of Nestlé Canada since 2010, working to overseeing global brands including Stouffer's, Lean Cuisine, Buitoni, Nescafé, Kit Kat and Smarties. Prior to that, Brown spent 22 years at NWNA, most recently heading retail operations as executive vice president and general manager until transitioning into his current role.

“I am excited to continue to build on the legacy achieved by Kim Jeffery,” Brown said in a statement. “Kim led the company from a single brand to the largest bottled water company in North America while emphasizing environmental responsibility and cultivating the very best corporate culture in the food and beverage business.”

Jeffery, 64, joined the company in 1978 as central division sales manager and advanced throughout the years to assume the company’s top position in 1992. Under Jeffery’s leadership, NWNA has grown organically from a $650 million in revenues business 20 years ago into a leading bottled water company in North America. With sales of $4.4 billion in 2011, the company holds seven of the Top 10 U.S. bottled water brands including Poland Spring, Arrowhead, Deer Park, Ice Mountain, Ozarka, Zephyrhills and Nestlé Pure Life, it says.

“Because I have spent most of my adult life in this company, my connection to the business and its people will endure,” Jeffery said in a statement. “The business success and strong values-based culture we built as a team transcends any individual, and having known and worked with Tim for more than 25 years, I know he is committed to building on this strong foundation as he leads the organization to continued growth and success.”

Brown will assume his new position at NWNA in February 2013. In Canada, Brown will be succeeded by Shelley Martin, who currently is president of Nestlé Canada’s frozen division.