Her Story
About Athina
Athina Sweigard is a respected automotive finance and dealership operations executive whose career spans more than three decades of leadership, innovation, and advocacy within the automotive industry. Her journey began in 1991 at a dealership in Greeley, Colorado, where she worked in automotive titles while finishing high school and raising a young child. Growing up in a family deeply connected to the automotive world—her great-great-grandfather owned one of Colorado's earliest Ford dealerships, and her family proudly showcased one of the state's earliest Model T automobiles—Athina developed a passion for the industry at an early age. When she was told that "girls don't sell cars," she transformed that challenge into motivation. At just eighteen years old, she earned her sales license and quickly proved her abilities, selling fourteen vehicles in her first two weeks and launching a career that would redefine expectations for women in automotive retail.
Over the next thirty-three years, Athina rose through the ranks from sales professional to senior leadership positions overseeing dealership operations, finance and insurance departments, training initiatives, and multi-state business development efforts. Throughout her career, she has become known for her expertise in automotive finance, compliance, dealership profitability, reinsurance programs, and operational excellence. She has trained countless sales professionals, finance managers, general managers, and dealership leaders, helping organizations improve performance while maintaining the highest ethical standards. Today, she serves as Regional Income Development Executive with Zurich North America, where she partners with dealerships across multiple states to strengthen financial performance, optimize processes, and create sustainable growth opportunities. She is also the founder of AM&E Automotive Consulting and Training, where she continues to mentor and develop the next generation of automotive professionals.
A passionate advocate for continuous learning and leadership development, Athina credits much of her success to persistence, integrity, and a commitment to personal growth. She often shares a lesson from one of her earliest mentors: "When you're green, you grow. When you stop, you rot." That philosophy has guided her throughout her career and remains central to her leadership approach today. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Athina is a dedicated volunteer and board member of Hope Lives Horse Rescue, supporting efforts to protect and rehabilitate horses in need. As one of the women who helped pave the way for greater opportunities and respect for female professionals in automotive retail, she takes pride in the progress the industry has made and remains committed to helping future generations succeed through ethical leadership, mentorship, and unwavering determination.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Athina
01What do you attribute your success to?
I got inspired in the latter part of my senior year of high school when I was exposed to doing automotive titles and writing commission vouchers. I was 16 years old when I started doing the titles, and I would watch these guys sell cars and write $4,500 or $5,500 commission vouchers. I remember thinking to myself, 'Man, I could do that so much better than them. I can just do this so much better.' So I asked the dealer I worked for, Dan, if I could get my license, and he said, 'Athena, girls don't sell cars.' That ignited something inside of me for that summer. I thought, 'Not only can I sell cars, but I can do it better than any man around me.' I sold 14 cars in 2 weeks just learning how to do an introduction. Once I learned that car sales was about an introduction, looking people in the eye, shaking their hand very firmly (and keep in mind, I was 18 years old), and once I earned the person's trust by promising I'm gonna get you a good deal, I'm not gonna lie to you, and I'm not gonna do anything unethical to you, I realized I could be really, really good at this. I was just gonna sell cars for that summer because I was ready to go to nursing school, but I ended up making so much money that summer that I never made it to school. Fast forward 33 years, I'm currently in college now, so it all came to fruition. I only sold cars for a couple months before I got into senior leadership within the dealerships, and I've spent the latter part of my career in senior leadership roles in automotive, focusing on in-store operations, dealership profit participation programs, and compliance. My key responsibilities now include a lot of training in compliance and F&I profit maximization. I train sales departments, F&I departments, GSMs, and GMs.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
When I was very, very young, my first owner, his name was Wes Tabor, told me, 'Athena, when you're green, you grow. When you're green, you grow, and when you stop, you rot.' So my best advice would be continue to grow, no matter what level you're at, no matter how many years you have in one given industry, no matter how old you get, never stop learning and never stop growing on a personal level and on a professional and a spiritual level. Growth. Always growth movement forward.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I very much enjoy my Yorkies. I have 3 little Yorkies that I've had for years, and they're now geriatric age, like 12 and 14. Music is a big part of my life. I live, sleep, and breathe all kinds of different music. Live sports and live music are important to me, so football and hockey are my two go-tos. I love football, love hockey, and I love golf. I support the American Cancer Society because I am a three-time cancer survivor, which is why when people see my life and say, 'Man, Athena, you're 51 years old, why don't you calm down?' I tell them, 'You know what? I wake up in the morning, and I'm like, I get to do this again today.' It is a blessing to get to wake up every day and get to do the things that I do.
Keep Exploring
More Influential Women · Colorado
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.