About Sidney Deboer
Sid DeBoer, founder and chairman of Lithia Motors, has described his upbringing in Ashland, Oregon, where he worked at his father's dealership, Lithia Motors, performing tasks such as oil changes and tire work. Following his father's death in 1968, DeBoer said the family "had to have a way to survive" and expanded the business by purchasing a store in Medford. He stated that he has "always had a vision, a 10 year vision" for the company, which as of 2022 had grown to nearly 300 locations and employed about 6,100 people in Southern Oregon. DeBoer has emphasized the importance of providing jobs and opportunity in the region.
DeBoer and his wife Karen have focused their philanthropy through the Sid and Karen DeBoer Foundation, supporting organizations primarily in Jackson County. DeBoer said they find it "more rewarding to give generously to one or two organizations that can influence the lives, largely of young people." Their contributions have included $12 million to Southern Oregon University and over $10 million to restore a Girl Scout camp at Lake of the Woods, which was later gifted to the YMCA. DeBoer has also been involved in efforts to add a ski slope on Mount Ashland. In 2016, he publicly opposed Oregon's Measure 97, a proposed tax on large C corporations, arguing it would be passed on to consumers and cost Oregon families an estimated $800 to $1,200 per year. He advocated for a "half a percent gross receipts tax on all companies in Oregon" as an alternative.
Source: AI-verified profile updated from Sidney Deboer's recent appearances.
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Transcript (19 segments)
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Narrator0:00
The Rogue Valley is well loved for many reasons. And we got Mount Ashland and you know, and we have a great lake and more. From its scenic Rogue River, which runs from Crater Lake to the Pacific to a revitalized downtown Medford and Ashland OR Shakespeare Festival, it's one word HOME. It's home. We believe in the small community. It's very diverse. It's a wonderful place, a place where Sid Deboer grew up working in the auto dealership. His father walked. The bore opened in Ashland in 1946 called Lithia Motors. The name comes from the lithium loaded spring water found in the area.
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Sidney Deboer0:42
I worked in the shop as a mechanic, sort of. I did Lube and tires and oil changes and all that kind of stuff.
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Narrator0:50
And it didn't take long for him to get the hang of things.
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Sidney Deboer0:53
And we had it up where we made $20,000 in one year and that was a big deal to my dad, so by 1968.
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Narrator1:00
That helped my father build the business and I was doing really well. At the height of their success, his dad was hit and killed by a car in 1968.
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Sidney Deboer1:11
When he died, you know, we had to have a way to survive. It was a tough time.
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Narrator1:15
Deboer scraped together some money, bought the business from his mom and founded a new company 13 miles north. Kept the name Lithia.
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Sidney Deboer1:24
So we bought a store in Medford, right where this building is now, from a dealer, and took us till 1969 or 70.
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Narrator1:32
The company grew steadily and 26 years later by 1996 had grown into six dealerships in Southern Oregon. Today Lithia has close to 300 locations in more than two dozen states, making it the third largest automotive retailer in the US.
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Sidney Deboer1:49
I've always had a vision, a 10 year vision of where we could go, but I don't think we have any limit.
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Narrator1:56
The first store, where it all started is now the Lithia Motors headquarters. There's about 600 people working here now. It's also really important to see the company flourish and provide opportunity and jobs here in Southern Oregon. The commitment to his Southern Oregon roots goes beyond these walls.
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Sidney Deboer2:16
The community involvement, the things we've done that means the most.
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Narrator2:19
In 1997, Sid and his wife formed the Sid and Karen Deboer Foundation and we wanted to make a difference in our community. The foundation supports charities mostly in Jackson.
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Sidney Deboer2:33
You give to someone that's statewide or you, you know, in the United States as a whole, and you're a little drop in the bucket. We find it more rewarding to give generously to one or two organizations that can influence the lives, largely of young people.
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Narrator2:48
Southern Oregon University has been on the receiving end of their generosity, recently getting $12 million from Lithia, the largest gift in the school's 150 year history. Big fans of the arts, the couple also helped revitalize Ashland OR Shakespeare Theater and contributed millions of dollars to local charities.
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Sidney Deboer3:09
I guess the thing we're most proud of is that camp, their personal project has been restoring the Girl Scout camp at Lake of the woods all run down. They had to close it. Kids didn't want to stay there anymore. That, you know, it was really a rough place. It was built in the 40s.
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Narrator3:26
Thanks to the Deboers, the camp got a new lease on life. They committed over $10 million to rebuild it for the Ashland MCA. The camp is now open and welcomes 150 kids year round.
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Sidney Deboer3:39
There's a certain amount of pride in that. It was kind of our life work, but they're not done yet. And now we're working on Mount Ashland. We're gonna try to add an extra ski slope up there, always going the extra mile for the community he grew up in.
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Narrator3:54
And we've been able to make our home better and be a part of that and share in that Joy, said Deboer, helping make Oregon better for others who call this special place home.
