BUILT ON TRUST, DRIVEN BY LEGACY
A Different Kind of Buyer—A Successor You Can Trust.
The word Amana comes from Swahili, meaning trust. It reflects the heart of what we stand for—trust between business owners and successors, between teams and leadership, and between generations.
For us, Amana isn’t just a name—it’s a promise. A promise to lead with integrity, to honor commitments, and to protect the legacy of the business we are entrusted to continue.
Our Mission
At Amana Succession Partners, our mission is simple: to acquire and continue the legacy of one great company—preserving what makes it special while building toward an enduring future for decades to come.
Our Purpose
We believe great businesses are built on trust, care, and craftsmanship. Our purpose is to ensure that the company we acquire continues to thrive—honoring its people, protecting its reputation, and investing in its growth for decades to come.
Our Vision
We aim to be the trusted successor—the son you never had, or wish you did. Our vision is to offer business owners peace of mind by placing their company in the hands of stewards who care deeply about its legacy, its people, and its future.
ABOUT US
Your Future Successor
Chris West is the Managing Partner of Amana Succession Partners, an investment firm dedicated to acquiring and continuing the legacy of one great company. A proud fourth-generation New Orleanian, Chris was shaped by a family of veterans, nurses, and civil servants who instilled in him the values of grit, humility, and service. Before earning his MBA at Stanford, he worked on over $10 billion in private equity transactions and built a career defined by empathy, discipline, and integrity. Today, he’s focused on acquiring a mission-critical business—one that powers everyday life and deserves a successor who will honor its people, legacy, and future.
Chris West is the Managing Partner of Amana Succession Partners, an investment firm dedicated to acquiring and continuing the legacy of a mission-critical business. Chris is prepared to be the son you never—or wish you—had.
A proud fourth-generation New Orleanian, Chris was raised by a family of veterans (Army and Marines), nurses, and civil servants who instilled in him the values of grit, humility, and service. He began his career in restaurant kitchens and construction sites before earning a full-tuition scholarship to Babson College, where he graduated magna cum laude. He later worked on more than $10 billion in private equity transactions before pursuing his MBA at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.
Chris’s values are rooted in empathy, discipline, and action—shaped by personal adversity and professional rigor. He has worked in emerging markets, advised on global transactions, and led both for-profit and nonprofit operating teams. Across these contexts, he has earned a reputation for showing up with integrity, building trust, and driving execution.
Today, Chris is drawn to industries that matter—those that quietly power the backbone of society. He is particularly focused on the industrial and commercial refrigeration sector for its essential role in food systems, healthcare, and logistics. To him, leading such a business is more than an investment opportunity—it’s a calling to create enduring value and serve society.
Chris believes the best businesses, like families, are built on trust, care, and shared purpose. Through Amana Succession Partners, he is committed to carrying those values forward as a successor and steward of a company’s legacy, its people, and its future.
OUR APPROACH
An Operator’s Approach to Succession
Every business tells a story—of sacrifice, perseverance, and purpose. At Amana Succession Partners, we honor that story by partnering with owners who care deeply about their people, customers, and community. Our approach is rooted in stewardship, not disruption: preserving what works, strengthening what can grow, and ensuring the legacy endures for generations.
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● Owner-operated or family-owned companies with an unclear succession plan—where legacy, not just liquidity, matters.
● Business-to-Business (B2B) service providers that deliver essential support to other companies.
● Businesses with low exposure to automation or AI disruption, where human skill and judgment remain vital.
● Companies generating at least $1 million in annual profit, EBITDA, or Seller’s Discretionary Earnings.
Our goal is to serve as a trusted successor—preserving what makes the business special while building the systems, people, and processes to ensure it thrives for decades to come.
WE THINK LIKE YOU DO.
What Makes Us Different?
Amana Succession Partners is built differently. Our investors aren’t anonymous institutions chasing quarterly returns—they’re proven operators, family business owners, and entrepreneurs who have committed their own capital and understand what it takes to build something that lasts.
That means we bring more than money. We bring empathy, experience, and a long-term mindset. We know what it feels like to care deeply about employees, customers, and community—because we’ve lived it. Together, we aim to preserve what you’ve built and help it grow for generations to come.
The difference isn’t just in how we invest—it’s in how we think, operate, and care for what’s been built. This is how that difference shows up compared to other institutional business buyers:
| Category | Private Equity | Corporate Acquirers | Amana Succession Partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leadership Transition | Replaces CEO; installs hired managers | Original leadership often exits | Entrepreneur steps in as CEO with seller support to ensure a smooth, values-aligned transition |
| Employee & Culture | Cost-cutting often affects morale | Culture diluted through integration | Prioritizes people and cultural continuity—protects what makes the company special |
| Legacy & Brand | ROI-focused; legacy not a priority | Brand often absorbed or rebranded | Deep commitment to preserving legacy, reputation, and community relationships |
| Deal Flexibility | Less flexible; investor-driven terms | Rigid corporate priorities | Highly flexible; co-creates deal terms and transition plan with the seller |
| Time Horizon | 3–5 year hold; exit-driven | Long-term, controlled by HQ | Long-term value creation; no forced exit timeline |
| Support & Advisory | Financial experts; less hands-on | Large teams; impersonal oversight | Backed by entrepreneurs and ex-operators who provide hands-on, practical guidance |
CONTACT US
Have A Business to Fefer—or Want to Discuss Your Succession?
We welcome conversations with business owners and intermediaries at every stage of the journey, whether you’re exploring options for the future or ready to transition today.
If you refer us to a company that we ultimately acquire and succeed, we offer a 0.5% success fee as a token of appreciation for helping us continue a great legacy.
