First Beverage Group has named Columbia Distributing Company veteran Joth Ricci its new COO. Joth, who was Jones Soda chief before joining First Beverage last April, was most recently managing director of operations for FBG. Recently the company has steered itself toward more strategic action, investing in Thomas Kemper Soda Co. last fall (whose distribution subsequently aligned with Bud houses in California) and getting into the beverage consulting business in December. Joth's new gig will focus on this new venture, called Beverage Intelligence Group, as well as its emerging brands incubator fund.