Background
Zien was born in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and attended Cadott High School.
Zien was born in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and attended Cadott High School.
He has a Bachelor of Surgery from University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and an Master of Surgery from University of Wisconsin–Stout.
Zien served in the United States Marine Corps from 1968 to 1970, and is a Vietnam War veteran. Prior to holding elected office, Zien was a campus administrator at Northcentral Technical College. Zien was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1988 and to the Wisconsin Senate in 1993 in a special election.
He became the President Pro Tempore in 2005.
He was defeated in his Fall 2006 re-election campaign by Democrat Pat Kreitlow. Zien is well known in Wisconsin for driving through the state on a motorcycle with full-size American and Wisconsin flags.
He was inducted in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2000. On March 13, 2011, Zien was seriously injured while traveling in Florida on his motorcycle.
Dave Zien logged more than 2 million miles riding motorcycles before being critically injured in a violent highway crash in Florida.
Even though the 61-year-old former state representative and senator lost part of his left leg - and almost his life - in the March crash, he has continued to ride, this time on a three-wheeled Harley-Davidson. Zien ran over group members" toes and belongings with his wheelchair. The incident was captured on video.
On June 21, 2011, Zien and two Tea Party members were accused of harassing and assaulting members of the Solidarity Sing Along group in the Wisconsin State Capitol.