While Anthony DiBuduo had experience working for the AAA auto club, Leonard DeFendis was a commercial glazier with no insurance experience, fitting windows for Valley Glass.

Despite their humble beginnings as “two Italians who couldn’t rub two nickels together,” according to Mike DeFendis, Leonard’s son, the pair started their own firm in 1960. It was just the two of them plus a secretary in a 400 square-foot office.

Today, DiBuduo & DeFendis Insurance (D&D for short) is one of the region’s largest insurance firms, with 10 offices across Central California and 250 insurance professionals. And while the firm has evolved with the industry and the times, Anthony and Leonard’s legacy lives on in the business — not just in the name, but in the way customers are treated like family.

“We do what’s right for our clients,” Mike said. “It goes back to Mr. DiBuduo and our dad. Taking care of people is how this agency was founded.”

It’s a bittersweet time for the DeFendis family. Last week marked 16 years since their father Leonard passed away at the age of 65 — “much too early,” said Matt DeFendis, who runs the business with brother Mike.

Despite the passage of time, it’s difficult for the DeFendis brothers to talk about their dad’s passing. They share that he was working in the office until his last day on earth, but they prefer to talk about their dad as he lived — humble, generous, a person who was not just their Little League coach, but also a mentor who to this day still guides business and life decisions.

Anthony DiBuduo passed almost exactly a year after Leonard DeFendis died. While Anthony did not have any children of his own, he had a special relationship with Mike and Matt that has led them to pledge that the firm name will never change, even though there is no longer a DiBuduo working in the business.

“He was our godfather. He took us under his wing and treated us like his own,” Mike said. “His name will continue indefinitely.”

Leonard and Anthony’s legacy lives on in the D&D office, where pictures of the pair are hung and employees still speak their names. In fact, a good chunk of their insurance clients originated with the founders.

“You can never replace two men like that,” Matt said. “You just try to surround yourself with good people.”

While relishing the past and honoring tradition, D&D Insurance also has an eye to the future. An expansion to Southern California is being considered, and more resources are being put on expanding online and social media outreach.

In terms of a third generation of family ownership, Matt has a son currently working in the insurance industry out of state, and Mike has kids in high school and college. But the DeFendis brothers said, just as their father let them decide, they will let their children decide if they want to enter the family business.

“It’s important for our kids to know they have options,” Mike said.

Besides business, D&D Insurance is also known for its philanthropic efforts, supporting a number of local charities. That also has its roots with the founders.

While the future is bright and wide open for D&D Insurance, the DeFendis brothers will continue to ask “what would dad do” when making important decisions.

“We still consider this our father’s business,” Mike said.