Tara Hannigan - Athena Sports Gear

My dad, Foster Irwin was a mining engineer and consultant and my beautiful mother Eileen was a brilliant stay home mom. Together they raised 8 children in Edmonton.

Hockey night in Canada saw my Mom and Dad and most of my family sprawled around the living room being entertained by Bobby Orr, Frank Mahovlich and Guy Lafleur.

Mom was often mending our clothes or turning stove pipe jeans into extreme flares. So not surprisingly, my mom gave me a sewing machine as a wedding gift.

In between 3 babies I designed and sewed clothes for my family. Soon the demand for my clothing broadened and I began designing winter dress coats.

Years later in 2002, when my daughter joined a boys hockey team an idea began to formulate. I designed an outfit for Shanice to wear under her equipment. Because Shanice was always appropriately dressed for mixed gender situations she was able to take part in the pre and post game camaraderie. It is here that Athena Sports Gear began.

Athena develops Soft Gear apparel for female athletes.

Athena Sports Gear is not able to receive operating funding through the bank as we are not yet in a suitable revenue and cash flow position to meet the bank's lending criteria's.

At an e-Women luncheon, we heard that Meet the Money interviews were taking place in Calgary and Edmonton.

I am excited to be involved with Meet the Money. This opportunity will help me refine our presentations to the retail industry, other venture partners and will enhance our corporate direction and strategies. I look forward to achieving a clearer corporate vision and build a strong foundation that Athena Sports Gear can rely on.