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Though a native of rural Lake City in Craighead County near Jonesboro, [[Arkansas]], Kirby attended the [[Southern Baptist]]-affiliated Mississippi College in Clinton and received a Bachelor of Science from the [[Chicago]]-based LaSalle Extension University, an on-line organization. Since 1979, he has operated his insurance agency in Pearl. He is a member of the Rankin County Homebuilders Association, the Pearl and Rankin County chambers of commerce, the Exchange Club, Kiwanis International, and the Masonic lodge. He is a member of the [[conservative]] policy organization, the American Legislative Exchange Commission. He and his wife, the former Jean Latham, have three children, Christopher, Tara, and Tina, and six grandchildren. He is a Southern Baptist.<ref name=pvs>{{cite web|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/3609/dean-kirby#.WeYsErpFzb0|title=Dean Kirby's Biography|publisher=Project Vote Smart|accessdate=October 16, 2017}}</ref>

Though a native of rural Lake City in Craighead County near Jonesboro, [[Arkansas]], Kirby attended the [[Southern Baptist]]-affiliated Mississippi College in Clinton and received a Bachelor of Science from the [[Chicago]]-based LaSalle Extension University, an on-line organization. Since 1979, he has operated his insurance agency in Pearl. He is a member of the Rankin County Homebuilders Association, the Pearl and Rankin County chambers of commerce, the Exchange Club, Kiwanis International, and the Masonic lodge. He is a member of the [[conservative]] policy organization, the American Legislative Exchange Commission. He and his wife, the former Jean Latham, have three children, Christopher, Tara, and Tina, and six grandchildren. He is a Southern Baptist.<ref name=pvs>{{cite web|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/3609/dean-kirby#.WeYsErpFzb0|title=Dean Kirby's Biography|publisher=Project Vote Smart|accessdate=October 16, 2017}}</ref>

Kirby was chairman of the Rankin County Republican Party organization in 1977. He was first elected to the state Senate in November 1991, when Kirk Fordice became Mississippi's first Republican [[governor]] since [[Reconstruction]]. In his most recent general elections in 2011 and 2015, he ran without opposition.<ref name=ballotpedia>{{cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Dean_Kirby|title=Dean Kirby|publisher=Ballotpedia.org|accessdate=October 16, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sos.ms.gov/Elections-Voting/Pages/2015-General-Election.aspx|title=General election returns|date=November 3, 2015|publisher=Mississippi Secretary of State|accessdate=October 17, 2017}}</ref>  

Kirby was chairman of the Rankin County Republican Party organization in 1977. He was first elected to the state Senate in November 1991, when [[Kirk Fordice]] became Mississippi's first Republican [[governor]] since [[Reconstruction]]. In his most recent general elections in 2011 and 2015, he ran without opposition.<ref name=ballotpedia>{{cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Dean_Kirby|title=Dean Kirby|publisher=Ballotpedia.org|accessdate=October 16, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sos.ms.gov/Elections-Voting/Pages/2015-General-Election.aspx|title=General election returns|date=November 3, 2015|publisher=Mississippi Secretary of State|accessdate=October 17, 2017}}</ref>  

Kirby chaired the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee and is vice chairman of the Finance Committee. He also sits on these committees: (1)   Corrections, (2) Highways and Transportation, (3) Housing, (4) Insurance, (5) Interstate and Federal Cooperation, and Judiciary A.<ref name=pvs/>

Kirby chaired the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee and is vice chairman of the Finance Committee. He also sits on these committees: (1)   Corrections, (2) Highways and Transportation, (3) Housing, (4) Insurance, (5) Interstate and Federal Cooperation, and Judiciary A.<ref name=pvs/>