Michael Amin

world, he has firmly established himself as an influential figure in both business and nonprofit circles alike.

Born in Iran, Michael Amin moved to the United States at the age of 17 in 1976 to pursue his higher education. He initially enrolled at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, before transferring to California State University, Northridge, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business. While still in post-secondary school, he became involved in managing his family’s apartment complex, overseeing its transformation into condominiums and then proceeding to sell the units. This experience marked the true beginning of his business career.

After graduation, Michael co-founded QuickPix, a one-hour photo development company that was one of the first of its kind in the United States. Although he initially toyed with the idea of franchising the business, Michael quickly recognized that the market for rapid photo development had become oversaturated, and he pivoted to other ventures. He went on to found Primex Talking Yellow Pages and Top Attorneys Directory, two successful referral services. However, in 1988, he returned to his family’s roots by buying his first pistachio farm, becoming a fourth-generation pistachio farmer.

As his pistachio enterprise grew, Michael founded Primex World Inc. to manage his expanding portfolio. Currently, Primex World Inc. now manages Michael’s investments. Under his leadership as CEO, the company has thrived.

In addition to his success in business, Michael Amin has always felt a deep sense of responsibility to give back. In 2001, he incorporated the nonprofit Maximum Difference Foundation (MDF), although he had been developing the concept for it for many years before that. Among many other worthy causes, MDF is focused on motivating parents to learn the art and science of good parenting by reading books, watching videos, attending seminars, and seeking advice from counselors—but only if truly necessary. All this is in order to facilitate the raising of children who are happy, self-developed, and ready to make a positive impact on the world.

Michael named the organization Maximum Difference Foundation (MDF) to reflect his view that investment in charitable causes should be decided by evaluating each dollar invested and determining how it can produce the maximum positive difference in the world—similar to evaluating different for-profit ventures by their projected return on investment. In his view, motivating parents to learn the art and science of parenting makes the maximum difference in the world, as investing in the development of a child has a long-lasting influence on future generations. Drawing from his business background, Michael believes that just as a well-placed business investment yields exponential growth over time, nurturing a child's potential can maximize societal returns, making the maximum difference in the world.

Beyond parenting, Maximum Difference Foundation addresses a wide range of social issues, including healthcare, education, criminal justice reform, human rights, and environmentalism. The foundation partners with several respected organizations, such as Doctors Without Borders, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the Innocence Project, to support initiatives that make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. MDF also works on projects aimed at providing vocational education for homeless individuals and combating deforestation. In addition to his work with MDF, Michael serves on the boards of several cultural and historical organizations, including the Farhang Foundation, which promotes Iranian art and culture, and Vasht, which celebrates the arts and cultures of ancient civilizations.