Pacific University Congratulates KISS Guitarist Tommy Thayer

When iconic rock band KISS descends on Portland this week for the second stop of its End of the Road World Tour, it will mark a homecoming for lead guitarist Tommy Thayer, a Beaverton native and longtime Pacific University trustee and supporter.

In light of KISS' farewell concert in Portland, slated for Friday, Feb. 1, Pacific congratulates Tommy for this incredible milestone that is part of his tremendous musical career spanning more than 40 years. Additionally, the university expresses its sincere thanks for Tommy's long-standing support of Pacific and his many other philanthropic ventures.

Last spring, Pacific proudly bestowed an honorary doctorate of humane letters on Tommy for his leadership efforts that have helped thousands of Pacific student-athletes over the past 12 years, and for his continued support of the university's intercollegiate athletics and music programs.

A 1978 graduate of Sunset High School, Thayer has served on Pacific’s Board of Trustees since 2005 and helped the university generate more than $3.5 million for its NCAA Division III intercollegiate athletics program, primarily through a highly successful celebrity fundraiser Legends, which ran from 2007 to 2016.

In 2016, the 10th anniversary Legends event launched the creation of the Tommy Thayer Endowments for Music and Athletics, benefiting students in both programs at Pacific. In the Music Fund's first year, five new pianos have been purchased for the rapidly expanding Music Department, which has seen a record enrollment this past fall.

Thayer's career flourished not long after graduating from Sunset. He formed hard-rock band Black ‘N Blue and relocated to southern California in the early 1980s. He later joined KISS as a producer, songwriter and business manager before becoming the band’s lead guitarist in February 2003, during which time the band has performed more than 650 times.

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