PREISER ANIMAL HOSPITAL URGENT CARE & WELLNESS APPOINTMENTS - Key Persons
Dr. Olech began working in the veterinary industry in 2003 as a veterinary kennel assistant, and after being promoted to a technician, he began entertaining thoughts of becoming a veterinarian like his mentors. During this time, Dr. Olech enrolled as an undergraduate student at Illinois State University, where he became a duly elected member of the Phi Sigma Biological Sciences Honor Society Beta Lambda Chapter on April 29th, 2005, before graduating from Illinois State University in 2006 with a major in biology and a minor in chemistry. After a very long and arduous application process, Dr. Olech began his veterinary studies abroad at St. Georges University, where he graduated in 2010 as a doctor of veterinary medicine.
After returning home, Dr. Olech began working as the on-site veterinarian for the Scott Smith All Animal Expo, which began in December of 2010, where he continued until December 2019. In January 2012, Dr. Olech and Gavin Brink, a herpetologist and colleague from ISU, co-founded Chicagoland Mobile Veterinary Services. A mobile veterinary hospital dedicated to providing care for disabled pets, geriatric pets, zoo animals, and exotic pets that could not be easily transported to the veterinary hospital. Unfortunately, after expanding into a fixed hospital location, after approximately 8-years in business, the decision was made to close Chicagoland Mobile Veterinary Services due to economic stress. Since that time, Dr. Olech has continued his work at other veterinary hospitals throughout the Chicagoland Region.
Dr. Olech has experience with Domestic Dogs, Domestic cats, birds, reptiles, amphibians, freshwater fish, saltwater fish, reef fauna, New World primates, small to medium size predatory cats, wolves, venomous reptiles, crocodilians, large constrictors, raptors, large parrots, marsupials, rodents, mustelids, lagomorphs, ovine, caprine, small bovine, cervids, and other rare exotic mammals. Despite his heavy focus in exotic animal medicine, Dr. Olech's primary interests are internal medicine, cardiology, immune disorders, dermatology, deviant behavior & animal psychiatry. Dr. Olech's favorite animal is, and always will be, the dog!
Dr. Olech enjoys several hobbies which include alternative gardening, amateur chemistry, ham radio (Amatuer Extra Class Operator - W1LCT), ELR rifle sports, tactical pistol sports, off-road ATV sports, camping, fishing, hunting, trapping, and bushcraft. None of this would be worth anything without his beautiful wife and two young Children. Together, they live happily with their dog Trigger, the last surviving member of their 6 animal pack. Dr. Olech is very excited to be at the Preiser Animal Hospital, and he looks forward to meeting you and your pets! Come in and meet him!
Dr. Mary Lewis graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1988 as the second graduating class. She also did her undergrad at U of W-Madison. She has been part of our team since 2020 and immediately fit in with our team. She is one of the kindest, most compassionate people you'll ever met, not only to our patients, but to our clients and team! She is so thankful to be a part of pets and their peoples' lives, with a particular interest in working for the best of preventative care from beginning to end of our pets lives. She grew up in Northern Wisconsin playing outside all day in the woods and on a lake. Her family had horses, dogs and cats. She cherishes that she and her family still get to head north all year round to Manitowish Waters to her childhood home. For Dr. Lewis, her faith and family are her core focuses.
She had three dogs for most of her adult life , one always being a lab. Now she has a single dog home of her Papillon, Wilbur. Her pet naming criteria sourced from 50-60's sitcom characters ( aka Wilbur Post from Mr Ed) . Ask her about her pets' names! Outside of veterinary medicine, she love s her hobbies with her husband ( they just celebrated their 34 th anniversary !!) , her 3 lovely kids with terrific spouses and dogs, and her pride and joy grandchildren . She's pretty addicted to her almost 3 year old grandson and 5 month old granddaughter . She and her husband love walking, bicycling, kayaking, disc golf, her new found hobby of pickleball, fishing,cross country ski ng, snowshoe ing, cooking, gardening, reading (especially historical fiction). Her newest adventures with her husband is to visit the National Parks! When you meet Dr. Lewis you'll feel like you've found a friend.