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Rob Thompson
OCCC Announces $10,000 Matching Challenge
for the Ron Spisso Lighthouse Fund
New fund honors longtime business advisor; matching gift donor Rob Thompson
aims to expand support for local entrepreneurs
The Oregon Coast Community College Foundation has announced a major boost for the Ron Spisso Lighthouse Fund for Small Business Success: a $10,000 matching-gift challenge issued by Rob Thompson, owner of Thompson’s Sanitary Service in Newport and a former longtime client of Spisso’s. Thompson will match all gifts made to the Lighthouse Fund dollar-for-dollar, up to $10,000, between now and Jan. 31, 2026.
The Lighthouse Fund, created earlier this year, honors the legacy of Ron Spisso, the beloved Small Business Management Coordinator who served Lincoln County entrepreneurs for more than 25 years through OCCC’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Spisso passed away in 2023, but his presence remains deeply felt among the many small businesses he coached, supported, and celebrated.
Ron Spisso
“Ron helped our business and countless others turn challenges into opportunities,” said Thompson. “He brought out people’s strengths, and his impact continues to ripple through our community. This match is my way of helping extend that spirit of support.”
Ron Spisso joined OCCC in 1991, shortly after relocating to Oregon, and later earned his MBA from Oregon State University while continuing to guide small business owners across the county. He was known for his patience, practical expertise, and his signature “deli stories,” valuable lessons drawn from his earlier experience running the Inlet Deli in Barnegat Light, New Jersey. These stories were more than entertaining anecdotes; they helped clients feel understood, encouraged, and ready to move forward. And, very often, Spisso found that many small businesses here in Lincoln County, whether they were engaged in food services or not, shared common traits with the starkly seasonal, tourism-driven delicatessen in far-off New Jersey.
The Ron Spisso Lighthouse Fund provides small, timely financial supports to local entrepreneurs facing one-time expenses that can be barriers to growth—such as certification costs, licensing fees, equipment needs, or similar modest but essential investments. Examples include helping a vacation-rental cleaner afford the $450 Property Manager’s License course needed to expand their business.
“This match will significantly expand the Lighthouse Fund’s reach and impact,” said Dave Price, OCCC Vice President of Engagement. “The generosity of Rob and Aimee Thompson in making this matching gift, which will support a great number of businesses in the community they love, is truly awe-inspiring.”
“Ron specialized in helping people like Rob and Aimee take the next step in their businesses,” said Jeanette Campagna, Director of Development for the OCCC Foundation. “We hope those who knew Ron, who learned from him, or simply believe in the power of small business, will consider contributing. There has never been a better time to give. Ask any small business owner across our county – they will tell you these are uncertain times, and every new emergency resource could be a difference-maker for someone they know.”
Gifts to the Lighthouse Fund can be made through the Oregon Coast Community College Foundation. Donors who give before Jan. 31, 2026, will have their contributions doubled thanks to the Thompson match. To give or learn more, visit www.oregoncoast.edu/lighthousefund or call 541-867-8531.
Oregon Coast Community College serves Lincoln County at campuses in Newport, Lincoln City, Waldport, and Toledo, offering degree programs, workforce training, and community education opportunities. As it has for more than 30 years, even before Ron Spisso joined the team, the OCCC SBDC provides confidential, no-cost advising to anyone who requests it. Learn more at oregoncoast.edu or by calling 541-867-8546.
