Renae Eichholz, founder and partner, Precision Practice Management, Belleville

By RITA DUCKWORTH
    Renae Eichholz grew up on a farm on the outskirts of Belleville. Her father worked as a general contractor and ran a business in Belleville.
    “I’ve always been drawn to downtown Belleville,” she said.
    So, it was only natural that Renae would start her own business in Belleville.
    She always saw herself driving her own destiny but didn’t have a clear idea what she wanted to do. Because she was “always good with numbers,” she thought of becoming an accountant, but college wasn’t for her. She would rather work.
    She went into real estate and obtained her broker’s license, but real estate didn’t feel quite right. She changed career paths and started working for an ophthalmologist, where she learned the financial side of running a medical practice.
    “My dad said that I would find one thing that I was really good at and that’s what I’d do,” she said. When she learned all that she could there, she left to manage medical billing for an orthopedic practice, and everything clicked. She quickly earned her certified procedural coding accreditation through the American Academy of Professional Coders in 1991, and then set out to open her own medical billing business.
    She opened Precision Billing Services 24 years ago and later changed the name to Precision Practice Management. Her first client quickly became several. With more physicians demanding her services, she found herself in need of more space.
    She and her family purchased the former Washington Theater and renovated it. As the business grew, she purchased the building from her family and restored the original, historical façade. Today, Precision now owns the building, employs more than 100 staff members in Belleville and recently completed another renovation.
    Along the way, she took on partners in 2001. Mike Barnell and Alan Pulliam actively manage the business with her. Precision’s growth took off after the partnership was formed. “It was the best thing I ever did and we work really well together.”
    “We remain here for the long haul,” she continued. In addition to the main office in Belleville, Precision has offices in Creve Coeur, San Antonio, Houston, and Raleigh. In total, the company employs more than 250 staff members. “Everyone at Precision is family.”
    “We excel at what we do,” she said. Precision has become one of the 50 largest revenue cycle management companies in the country. The company is a member of the Belleville Chamber of Commerce, and she is very involved with the Belleville CEO program, now in its second year.  
    “I love these students,” she said, and she hopes her involvement with the program will help with its continued success.
    She and her husband live in O’Fallon with their four children.