The People Behind the Deal
Bringing 20+ years of direct ownership, business leadership, and M&A expertise in the industries we serve.
Our Story
At Athena Consultants, we bridge M&A advisory with real-world business experience. One perspective on our team comes from running a business day to day; the other comes from years spent structuring and closing deals. Together, these distinct backgrounds shape how we evaluate value—not just through financial statements, but through the people, processes, relationships, and culture behind them.
Suri Ramanna, P.E.
Managing Partner
Surendra Ramanna is an entrepreneur and engineering executive with 35+ years of experience in civil and structural engineering. As CEO of TRC Worldwide Engineering, he has guided its evolution into a global firm with operations in the U.S. and India.
Having owned, acquired, and operated multiple businesses across healthcare, AEC, and technology, Surendra brings firsthand insight into evaluating businesses and understanding what drives their value. At Athena Consultants, he draws on this background to help business owners and buyers navigate M&A decisions with a practical understanding of the opportunities and challenges behind every deal.
Suri Ramanna
Managing Partner
Drake Hamilton
Executive Vice President of M&A
Drake Hamilton leads sell-side advisory for lower-middle-market companies with enterprise values of $2–25 million, alongside capital introduction and deal origination. Over the course of his career, he has closed more than $200 million in transactions.
Before joining Athena, Drake spent several years on Zweig Group's M&A team. He joined as an analyst in 2018, helped establish the firm's Dallas office, and was promoted to Advisor in 2022. At Zweig, his work included business valuation, financial analysis, and market research. Drake holds a BSBA in Finance and Accounting from the University of Arkansas and is based in Dallas–Fort Worth.
Athena Consultants guides founders, business owners, family offices, and private equity firms through complex mergers and acquisitions. Our leadership brings firsthand experience owning, operating, and scaling businesses, alongside deep M&A execution.
QUICK LINKS
CORPORATE OFFICE
217 Ward Circle, Brentwood,
TN 37027
(615) 661-7979
info@athena-consultants.com