Dean Dirks has joined b2b Solutions LLC as a consulting partner. 

“Dean has a long and very successful history in the industry as a retailer and supplier,” said Steve Montgomery, president of b2b Solutions LLC, a Chicago-based consultancy that specializes in working with retailers and suppliers to the convenience store / petroleum marketing industry. “b2b Solutions is extremely proud to be able make his extensive foodservice expertise available to our retailer clients.”

Dirks has had a long career in foodservice and c-stores that began in his father’s grocery stores at age eight.  He worked his way through college at Safeway. After graduating from Washington State University in 1983, Dirks accepted a position in retail foodservice with Marriott.  In this role, he supervised branded concepts including Starbucks, Dominoes Pizza, Godfather’s and Little Caesars as well as proprietary food service. 

In 1996, Dirks joined West Star as V.P. of Operations.  His responsibilities included supervising 30 Shell branded convenience stores and 20 restaurants including Subway, Taco Bell, A&W, Winchell’s Donuts, Seattle Best Coffee and a number of proprietary foodservice concepts. After WestStar was sold, Dirks accepted a position with Balmar Petroleum as the senior category manager, overseeing all categories, including foodservice.

In 2006, Dirks formed Dirks & Associates focusing on convenience store foodservice. He has worked with Arby’s, Church’s Chicken, Qdoba’s as well as many proprietary foodservice concepts.