JB Dewar, Inc., a fourth‑generation, family‑owned distributor of fuels and lubricants on California’s Central Coast, has announced the acquisition of McCormix Corporation and Santa Barbara Fuel Dock, Inc. (McCormix), a Santa Barbara–based distributor of fuels and lubricants with more than 50 years of operating history.
Founded in 1969 by Burt McCormack and purchased in 1997 by J.A Fischer, the McCormix team succeeded in growing the company into the dominant petroleum distributor serving the greater Santa Barbara region, the company said.
McCormix provides gasoline, diesel, diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), and lubricants to commercial, municipal, industrial, agricultural, rail, emergency response, and marine‑related customers in Santa Barbara and the surrounding coastal communities.
McCormix operates three CFN‑affiliated cardlock fueling locations; maintains bulk storage at its headquarters facility; and uses a specialized fleet of tankers, bobtails, and service vehicles to meet the diverse fueling needs of its customer base.
Integral to the McCormix family is the Santa Barbara Fuel Dock, Inc., the only marine fuel dock in the Santa Barbara Harbor.
The Fuel Dock supplies diesel, gasoline, lubricants and ice to commercial fishing vessels, harbor operators, tour boats, and recreational boaters. The facility serves as a key fueling asset for the harbor’s commercial and recreational maritime activity.
JB Dewar, founded in 1933 and headquartered in San Luis Obispo, shares McCormix’s history of family ownership and community engagement across the Central Coast.
The stock acquisition brings together two family‑owned companies with cultural alignment, complementary service models, and a shared commitment to operational excellence and customer service, the company said.
“This acquisition is a meaningful step for JB Dewar and a continuation of the values our family has upheld for nearly a century,” said Ken Dewar. “Bringing McCormix into the JB Dewar family allows us to strengthen our service to the Central Coast and honor the legacy both companies have built in their communities.”
“I am deeply grateful to everyone who helped bring this together — Sean, Nick and Andy at Corner Capital, and Russ and Jake at Reicker Pfau for their steady legal guidance,” Dewar said.
“And above all, I want to thank Morgan for her unwavering support and leadership as we carry our fourth-generation family business forward,” he said.
Corner Capital Partners, LLC served as JB Dewar’s exclusive financial advisor, providing buy-side merger and acquisition advisory services to JB Dewar, which included advising on valuation, deal structure, financing and other transaction terms. The transaction was managed by Andy Weber, Sean Stewart, CFA, and Nick Stricker, CPA.
“This transaction represents a rare family‑to‑family combination for petroleum distributors in today’s M&A environment,” said Andy Weber of Corner Capital. “Both JB Dewar and McCormix have served their communities for decades, built reputations for high‑touch service, and maintained deep relationships with customers across generations.
“Having known both parties for many years, we were honored to assist Ken Dewar, Morgan Dewar Voss and their team on this acquisition and are confident that the Dewar family will continue to build upon the McCormix legacy in a meaningful way.”
Legal counsel for JB Dewar, Inc. was provided by Russell Terry of Reicker Pfau, Santa Barbara.