2025 TDOY Nominee
Ivette Dominguez Drawe
President of Alpine Buick GMC
Littleton, Colorado
“The most fulfilling aspect of my retail automotive career has been creating opportunities for women and minorities in an industry historically lacking in diversity. I remain one of the few minority and female dealership owners in the country, so I earnestly help others and take pride in seeing my female colleagues, employees, mentees, and community members succeed.”
Ivette Dominguez Drawe was chosen to represent the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association in the national competition — one of only 49 auto dealers nominated for the 56th annual award from more than 20,000 nationwide. She and her fellow nominees will be recognized at the 108th annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show in New Orleans on January 25, 2025.
One of the automobile industry’s most highly coveted honors, the TIME Dealer of the Year award recognizes the nation’s most successful auto dealers who also demonstrate a long-standing commitment to community service.
“This honor means so much because it recognizes our deep ties to our community, along with our business success,” said nominee Dominguez Drawe. “Alpine Group has donated over $2 million and raised over $3 million for nonprofit organizations and local charities — making a difference in the community is my number one priority.”
A graduate of San Diego State University, Dominguez Drawe’s passion for the auto industry began with a post-college summer job at a BMW dealership in Camarillo, California.
“I was planning to get my MBA but found my calling on the sales floor,” said Dominguez Drawe. “I was the only woman salesperson then, but my success fueled my determination to break barriers.”
Dominguez Drawe moved up the ranks, ultimately serving as sales manager and general sales manager for Michigan and Colorado dealerships. In 2005, she and her husband, Michael Drawe, acquired their first dealership, Denver-based Alpine Buick GMC, from Sonic Automotive.
She later moved her flagship store to Littleton and expanded the Alpine Group to include three other Colorado locations and dealerships in Oklahoma and Illinois, representing brands Buick, Ford, GMC, Nissan, and Toyota.
“As one of very few Hispanic dealer owners, we recognized that the Hispanic market was largely underserved,” said Dominguez Drawe. “We built a diverse, Spanish-speaking staff and created targeted advertising, ultimately becoming the top-selling dealerships for Hispanics in Colorado.”
Dominguez Drawe is proud that 65% of her company’s leadership is bilingual, female or Hispanic. In 2018, she was named the first woman to chair the General Motors Minority Dealer Advisory Council. In addition, she served on the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association’s Legislative Policy Committee for 10 years, advocating for fellow dealers and consumers alike.
“The most fulfilling aspect of my retail automotive career has been creating opportunities for women and minorities in an industry historically lacking in diversity,” said Dominguez Drawe. “I remain one of the few minority and female dealership owners in the country, so I earnestly help others and take pride in seeing my female colleagues, employees, mentees, and community members succeed.”
A trailblazer in every sense of the word, Dominguez Drawe was named one of the 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry by Automotive News in 2020 and a Denver Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO in 2021.
Also a philanthropic leader, Dominguez Drawe believes her success comes from the dedication and energy she invests in the communities her dealerships serve. She has served on the boards of the Denver Zoo, Habitat for Humanity Metro Denver, and Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.
Under her leadership, the Alpine Group volunteers, donates, and sponsors organizations and events including Children’s Hospital Colorado and its Courage Classic, American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, Girl Scouts of Colorado, Dumb Friends League, Wounded Warrior Project, Victory Service Dogs, and many others.
Dealers are nominated by the executives of state and metro dealer associations around the country. A panel of faculty members from the Tauber Institute for Global Operations at the University of Michigan will select one finalist from each of the four NADA regions and one national Dealer of the Year. Three finalists will receive $5,000 for their favorite charities and the winner will receive $10,000 to give to charity, donated by Ally.
In its 14th year as exclusive sponsor, Ally also will recognize dealer nominees and their community efforts by contributing $1,000 to each nominee’s 501(c)3 charity of choice. Nominees will be recognized on ally.com/go/tdoy , which highlights the philanthropic contributions and achievements of TIME Dealer of the Year nominees.
“At TIME, our commitment to recognizing the exceptional contributions of automotive dealers remains as strong as ever,” said Jessica Sibley, CEO of TIME. “The TIME Dealer of the Year award continues to celebrate those who not only excel in their profession but also make a meaningful impact in their communities. We are thrilled to continue this legacy in partnership with Ally.”
Doug Timmerman, Ally president of Dealer Financial Services, said, “Auto dealers are the backbones of their communities, providing civic support and significant business leadership. Ally is proud to recognize the unwavering commitment these TIME Dealer of the Year nominees are living every day through their volunteerism, sponsorships, and support of charitable causes. They are the epitome of community heroes, making important and positive impacts in the lives of the people they serve.”
Dominguez Drawe was nominated for the TIME Dealer of the Year award by Matthew Groves, president and CEO of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association.
