Sidney Deboer on personal loss
From Sid DeBoer | History Makers 2022 · · KGW News
“When he died, you know, we had to have a way to survive. It was a tough time.”
On , Sidney Deboer, Founder & Chairman at LITHIA MOTORS INC -CL A, spoke about personal loss during Sid DeBoer | History Makers 2022 on KGW News.
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.