Although Pioneer Refinishing was created in 1992, it was actually a culmination of a lifetime of experience that sparked the idea to focus on the niche field of church pew refinishing. Rick and Cindy Olszewski, as owners of the company, wanted to combine their talents and work together as a team. While Rick was a third generation church pew painter with over 30 years experience in the painting industry, Cindy was experienced in administration and customer support.

After submitting their business plan to the City of Eau Claire and winning second place in the “Create Your Own Business Plan Contest”, they decided to expand their company and move to Eau Claire, where they currently have a state-of-the-art 10,000 square foot building dedicated solely to the refinishing of church pews.

As a team, Rick and Cindy are able to provide their customers outstanding quality and customer support. While Rick focuses on managing the shop and quality control, Cindy is actually the face most familiar to clients. She is on-site throughout the entire operation, taking the time to meet with the customers at their convenience. Upon securing the contract, Cindy will arrive with the crew to oversee the removal of the pews. She is also the one back at the church when it comes time to reinstall the pews, making sure no details, have been overlooked.

It is because of that commitment to detail that so many general contracting companies and decorative painting firms have repeatedly used them for project after project. It is also the reason they have such a loyal reference base. Over the years, Pioneer Refinishing has retained their hands on approach to remain leaders in the field.