About
As the founder of the investment firm Primex World Inc. and the charitable organization Maximum Difference Foundation (MDF), Michael Amin is primarily known as a businessman, and philanthropist, but he is also a pistachio farmer–a vocation his family has undertaken for the previous four generations.
Under his leadership, Los Angeles-based Primex World has successfully invested in a broad range of industries and market segments, including pistachio orchards, other types of agricultural real estate, and private equities.
Apart from overseeing Primex’s operations, Michael’s other major passion is philanthropy. He has long believed in the importance of giving back to the community, helping others in need, and improving the world around him.
As an ambitious 17-year-old, Michael came to the United States in 1976 to pursue the American Dream, first as a student at Pepperdine University and later as a student at Cal State Northridge, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business.
During college, he was given charge over his family’s apartment complex, eventually managing its conversion into condominiums.
After graduating from college, he started a film development company called QuickPix One-Hour Photo, which was among the very first businesses of its kind. His plan was to franchise the business model, but the market became too saturated with competition. Instead, he went on to found Top Attorneys Directory and Primex Talking Yellow Pages.
In 1988, Michael Amin established his first pistachio farm, taking his place in his family’s long tradition of pistachio growers. Soon thereafter, he created Primex World Inc. and became its chief executive officer.
In 2002, Michael Amin decided to concentrate his efforts on philanthropy and founded Maximum Difference Foundation (MDF). One focus of MDF is to use the power of advertising to motivate parents to educate themselves in the art and science of good parenting, thus laying the groundwork for stronger families and a more cohesive overall society. However, the foundation also has a number of other focuses besides that, and consistently seeks to make a difference in the realms of healthcare, education, criminal reform, humanitarian matters, and environmental matters.
In the pursuit of these worthy causes, some of the organizations MDF partners with include Doctors without Borders, Umma Relief, IAMA (Iranian American Medical Association), National MS Society, PACI (Persian American Cancer Institute), Vibrant America, H20MA, Omid Foundation, APSIH (Association of Professors & Scholars of Iranian Heritage), The Innocence Project, Amnesty International, Humans Rights Watch, Jewish Voices for Peace, Middle East Children Alliance, and American Near East Refugee Aid. Maximum Difference Foundation also uses its considerable resources to provide vocational training for people experiencing homelessness.
Apart from his role with MDF, Michael Amin is also personally active in the nonprofit world, and serves on the Board of Trustees of the Farhang Foundation, whose goal is to promote and celebrate Iranian art and culture. He is also a board member with Vasht, an organization dedicated to the preservation of the cultures of ancient civilizations.