DeBoer family

The DeBoer family started their fortune with a lone Chrysler-Dodge dealership in Ashland, Oregon. Founder Walt DeBoer invested his efforts into that dealership to build the foundation for Lithia Motors. Walt’s son, Sidney DeBoer, took control of the business in 1968 and incorporated as Lithia Motors. Sidney DeBoer built up the business over the next several decades, adding dozens more dealerships on the Northwest and Northeast seaboards.
In 1996, DeBoer took the company public. With that injection of capital, Lithia acquired several dealership groups through various mergers and acquisitions. In 2012, the next generation took the reins. Bryan DeBoer became the current CEO and President of Lithia Motors, making him the third generation to run the business. He worked his way up the business through various positions to earn his position at the top. That connection to all levels of the business, as well as his manufacturer relations, makes DeBoer uniquely equipped to carry Lithia Motors into the future.