David Bente Grew up in Central California from a family in the logging industry, mainly hauling. Began at the age of 9 years old as a ‘grease monkey’ on our logging truck and to a father that was an all around mechanic of all types of heavy equipment. I spent summers working instead of hanging out with other kids my age. I was the only Junior in Sierra High School accepted to attend a Senior only Heavy Equipment class. I had better things to do than go to school and graduated at the age of 16 years old to go to work. I worked in the body, frame and mechanics fields until I changed jobs and moved to working as an independent appraiser in 1995.
I began my insurance career at CalFarm Insurance in the Fresno, CA office in April 1996 and answered to the main office in Sacramento, CA. When CalFarm was bought out in 1997 by Nationwide Insurance, I was rolled over in their Material Damage department along with many others from Allied Insurance who was purchased around the same time. I spent 10 years there and left the company in 2007 to go back into the shops until being called up to apply here at Zenith.
I was the second person hired on at Zenith Agribusiness Solutions under the Material Damage department, behind my immediate manger/supervisor. I have been here since December 2010. I currently handle almost all heavy equipment claims from collision, theft, fire, etc. I am also training in fire cause & analysis.