Ames Watson Brands (AWB) invests in both emerging and established brands. We are a "brand accelerator" that surrounds our partners with industry experts in operations, merchandising, marketing and back-office support. We leverage operational excellence, access to capital, strategic partnerships, and a data-driven approach to drive product innovation and accelerate growth.

AWB is seeking:

• Brands looking to accelerate growth

• Brands seeking operational and strategic support, in addition to capital

• Established category leaders seeking to build upon existing success via expanded revenue channels
• Companies at inflection points in need of a new partner

Structure:

• Revenue $5 million to $2 billion; we have the ability to close both small and very large deals

• Minority or majority investments
• Partnerships and unique opportunities for founders / owners

  • NEW YORK CITY

    298 5th Ave, 5th Floor

    New York, NY 10001

  • It all begins with an outreach. Shoot us an email and let's talk!

    Email: Info@ameswatson.com

  • Please direct press inquiries to Alexandra Mason at AMason@ameswatson.com

The AWB Team

Thomas H. Ripley

Partner, Co-Founder
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  • Tom is a Partner and Co-Founder at Ames Watson. Prior to Ames Watson, Tom was the founder of Severn Partners, a private equity firm that acquired more than a dozen companies in the defense, retail, light manufacturing and service sectors. Over the past 18 years, Tom has developed extensive operating experience across more than two dozen different companies. Tom started his career as an infantry and special operations officer in the United States Marine Corps. Tom graduated from the Virginia Military Institute with a BA and an MBA from the University of Chicago. Tom lives in Annapolis, Maryland with his wife and three children.

Lawrence Berger

Partner, Co-Founder
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  • Lawrence is the Co-Founder and a Partner at Ames Watson. Prior to founding Ames Watson, Lawrence was Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of Blackstreet Capital. At Blackstreet, Lawrence participated in over 25 acquisitions and was actively involved in the sourcing of deals, planning of transitions and oversight of investments. Previously, Lawrence worked for the The Washington Post Company and the Boston Consulting Group. Lawrence has served on numerous Boards of both private and public companies. Lawrence is currently the Chairman of FanzzLids Holdings, the holding company that owns Lids and Fanatics Lids College. Lawrence has a B.S.E. and MBA from The Wharton School. Lawrence lives in Bethesda, Maryland with his wife and three sons. He can usually be found at the ice rink watching his sons play hockey.

Amanda Hersh

Director of Planning
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  • Amanda is Ames Watson Brands’ Director of Merchandise Planning. She comes from an extensive background in the retail space across high-growth DTC companies. Prior to joining Ames Watson Brands, Amanda spent time at Faherty Brand, Hatch Collection and Bloomingdale’s where she was able to use data and analysis to drive strategic results across varying channels of business and product categories. Amanda has a BBA from The University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She resides in Brooklyn, NY and enjoys travel, walks in Prospect Park and spending time with her friends, family, and two cats.

Alyssa Paparatto

Director of Production
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  • Alyssa is Ames Watson Brands’ Director of Production. She has worked at fashion companies such as Mara Hoffman, Sies Marjan, and Ralph Rucci. Alyssa is skilled in various aspects of production, including import/domestic operations, sourcing raw materials/manufacturing partners, cost negotiation, and logistics. She holds a BS in Fashion Merchandising Management from the Fashion Institute of Technology, focused on Product Development. In addition to her professional achievements, Alyssa is a certified yoga instructor with a passion for gardening, music, and incorporating sustainable practices into her daily life. She resides in Newark, NJ with her husband, two sons, and her rambunctious dog, Napoleon.

Jake Callizo

Logistics Manager
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  • Jake is the Logistics Manager at Ames Watson Brands. He began his career as a Supply Chain Coordinator at West Elm, where he oversaw decoration accessories and local vendors for regional-specific products. Most recently, Jake served as the Production and Logistics Coordinator at PAIR Eyewear, focusing on overseas vendor management, scheduling and booking of freight, and warehouse operations. He holds a B.S. in Business and Applied Economics from the University of Oregon. Now residing in New York City, Jake enjoys exploring the city's dining, entertainment, and sport scenes as well as traveling.

Jana Pillay

Sr Mgr, ECommerce
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  • Jana is a Senior E-Commerce Manager at Ames Watson. Prior to joining, she was an e-commerce manager at VF Corporation, where she focused on driving new e-commerce strategies and ongoing enhancements and optimizations. Jana received her Bachelor in International Management from Toulouse Business School (Toulouse, FR) and her Masters in E-Business from Copenhagen Business School (Copenhagen, DK). In her free time she loves to travel, spend time with family and friends, and go to the beach.

Maggie Wardell

Chief of Staff
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  • Maggie is Ames Watson Brands’ Chief of Staff. She started her career at Accenture Strategy, leading teams in C-level engagements for retail and consumer clients, focused on growth strategy, operations, and employee experience. Most recently, Maggie was Chief of Staff to the CEO at Flyhomes, a real estate technology company. In this role, she partnered with the CEO & Leadership Team to drive company strategy, performance, and operating rhythm while leading  cross-functional priority projects. Maggie holds a B.S. from Georgetown University. She lives in New Jersey and enjoys running and cycling, cuddling with her rescue dog, and cooking with her husband.

Michael Nestel

Dir of Data Science

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  • Michael is Ames Watson Brands’ Director of Data Science. Michael was most recently Director of Data Science at MusiCapital, a private equity firm specializing in music content rights. Prior to this role, he held Senior Data Scientist positions at Spotify and JPMorgan. After graduating with a degree in Mathematics from Rutgers University, Michael started his career as a Statistics Analyst at ESPN. He lives in Nashville, TN with his wife, daughter, and Australian Shepherd.

Steve Boltuch

Controller
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  • Steve is Ames Watson Brands’ Controller. He started his career with EisnerAmper, a public accounting and advisory firm, serving clients from both public and private industry including sports & entertainment, biopharmaceuticals, and emerging enterprise technology. Most recently, Steve was the Controller at DoseSpot, a healthcare technology SaaS company. Steve holds a Masters Degree in Accounting from the Pennsylvania State University. He lives in Los Angeles, CA with his wife and Boston Terrier.

Sunny Chang

Design Director
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  • Coming Soon