Profile
As an operating partner, I’m able to share my experiences in the industry to help founders develop their brands and teams, and build their companies.
I joined Castanea in 2016.
Prior to Castanea, I was one of the two founders of Nantucket Nectars, which my partner and I grew for fourteen years and ultimately sold to Cadbury Schweppes in 2002.
After being involved with several other food and beverage start-ups as a founder, investor, and board member, I became the Managing Partner at First Beverage Ventures where I helped to raise the first fund and made five investments in beverage companies.
While at First Beverage, we co-invested in Essentia Water with Castanea, and I learned about the firm, the team, and their incredible work with brands and partners.
I have great passion for the food and beverage industry.
The industry is dynamic, and current founders and innovators are driving incredible change in the way we think about what we eat and drink.
I’ve had the privilege of working with great brands like Nantucket Nectars, O Water, Health-Ade Kombucha, and Sweet Leaf Tea.
I’m currently working with Yasso, Brew Dr. Kombucha, Essentia Water, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, and The Bruery.
I earned a BA in American History at Brown University and thankfully received a passing grade in the Business School of Hard Knocks.
I grew up in the Boston area and now live in Concord, MA, with my wife, three kids, and two Portuguese water dogs.
Thomas First active positions
| Companies | Position | Start |
|---|---|---|
| Prezza Technologies, Inc. | Chairman | - |
Yasso, Inc.
 Yasso, Inc. Food RetailRetail Trade Yasso, Inc. manufactures frozen yogurt desserts. It offers bars in raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, vanilla bean, mango, and coconut flavors. The company was founded by Amanda Klane and Andrew Harrington in 2009 and is headquartered in Quincy, MA. | Director/Board Member | - |
Castanea Partners Inc
 Castanea Partners Inc Investment ManagersFinance Castanea Partners Inc (Castanea Partners) is a private equity firm founded in 2001 by Robert A. Smith and Brian J. Knez. The firm is headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts. | Private Equity Investor | 2016-08-31 |
Stride Consumer Partners
 Stride Consumer Partners Investment ManagersFinance Stride Consumer Partners LLC is a private equity firm founded in 2019. The firm is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. | Private Equity Investor | 2019-12-31 |
Gutsy Inc
 Gutsy Inc Food DistributorsDistribution Services Gutsy LLC provides business services. The company is headquartered in Newton, MA. | Founder | 2020-05-31 |
Former positions of Thomas First
| Companies | Position | End |
|---|---|---|
First Beverage Group LLC
 First Beverage Group LLC Investment ManagersFinance First Beverage Group LLC provides financial advisory services. The firm advises and invests in innovative and transformational beverage brands. It also specializes in providing growth equity to emerging beverage companies. The company was founded by William S. Anderson and is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA. | Private Equity Investor | 2016-08-30 |
O Beverages, Inc.
 O Beverages, Inc. Beverages: Non-AlcoholicConsumer Non-Durables O Beverages, Inc. markets and distributes water-based beverage products, flavored waters, and sparkling waters. It operates as a sports drink company which makes a variety of fitness drinks. The firm provides fitness drinks for athletes. The company was founded by Thomas J. First and Edward J. Slade in September 2004 and is headquartered in Delaware, the United States. | Chairman | 2011-12-30 |
Eleven Technology, Inc.
 Eleven Technology, Inc. Packaged SoftwareTechnology Services Eleven Technology, Inc. provides mobile application software services. It offers next generation handheld software for the CPG industry. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Cambridge, MA. | Chief Executive Officer | 2004-12-30 |
Repsly, Inc.
 Repsly, Inc. Packaged SoftwareTechnology Services Repsly, Inc. provides mobile software solutions . It offers advanced reporting, features, point-of-sale data, integrations, orders and returns. The firm serves the food and beverage, beer, wine and spirits, consumer products and retail services industries. The company was founded by Marko Kovac and Marko Linke in 2010 and is headquartered in Boston, MA. | Director/Board Member | - |
Training of Thomas First
| Brown University | Undergraduate Degree |
Experiences
Positions held
Connections
1st degree connections
1st degree companies
Male
Female
Members of the board
Executives
Linked companies
| Private companies | 10 |
|---|---|
Eleven Technology, Inc.
Eleven Technology, Inc. Packaged SoftwareTechnology Services Eleven Technology, Inc. provides mobile application software services. It offers next generation handheld software for the CPG industry. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Cambridge, MA. | Technology Services |
Yasso, Inc.
Yasso, Inc. Food RetailRetail Trade Yasso, Inc. manufactures frozen yogurt desserts. It offers bars in raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, vanilla bean, mango, and coconut flavors. The company was founded by Amanda Klane and Andrew Harrington in 2009 and is headquartered in Quincy, MA. | Retail Trade |
Repsly, Inc.
Repsly, Inc. Packaged SoftwareTechnology Services Repsly, Inc. provides mobile software solutions . It offers advanced reporting, features, point-of-sale data, integrations, orders and returns. The firm serves the food and beverage, beer, wine and spirits, consumer products and retail services industries. The company was founded by Marko Kovac and Marko Linke in 2010 and is headquartered in Boston, MA. | Technology Services |
Castanea Partners Inc
Castanea Partners Inc Investment ManagersFinance Castanea Partners Inc (Castanea Partners) is a private equity firm founded in 2001 by Robert A. Smith and Brian J. Knez. The firm is headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts. | Finance |
Mount Vernon Strategies, Inc.
 Mount Vernon Strategies, Inc. Miscellaneous Commercial ServicesCommercial Services Mount Vernon Strategies, Inc. provided market research and consulting services to consumer goods, food and beverage companies looking to expand their product lines and geographic reach. Its research provided insight on geographic and demographic markets, brand perception and the competitive landscape. Mount Vernon Strategies was founded in 1994 by Collier Charles and Christopher White and was headquartered in Boston, MA. | Commercial Services |
| Prezza Technologies, Inc. | |
O Beverages, Inc.
O Beverages, Inc. Beverages: Non-AlcoholicConsumer Non-Durables O Beverages, Inc. markets and distributes water-based beverage products, flavored waters, and sparkling waters. It operates as a sports drink company which makes a variety of fitness drinks. The firm provides fitness drinks for athletes. The company was founded by Thomas J. First and Edward J. Slade in September 2004 and is headquartered in Delaware, the United States. | Consumer Non-Durables |
First Beverage Group LLC
First Beverage Group LLC Investment ManagersFinance First Beverage Group LLC provides financial advisory services. The firm advises and invests in innovative and transformational beverage brands. It also specializes in providing growth equity to emerging beverage companies. The company was founded by William S. Anderson and is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA. | Finance |
Gutsy Inc
Gutsy Inc Food DistributorsDistribution Services Gutsy LLC provides business services. The company is headquartered in Newton, MA. | Distribution Services |
Stride Consumer Partners
Stride Consumer Partners Investment ManagersFinance Stride Consumer Partners LLC is a private equity firm founded in 2019. The firm is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. | Finance |
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