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Meet The Optometrists

Meet the team of Drs. Hawks, Besler, Rogers and Stoppel. Our experienced optometrists have served the Overland Park and Gardner areas since 1974.

Dr. Hawks

Dr. Hawks was born in El Dorado, KS. He received his optometry degree from the University of Houston College Of Optometry. In 1974, he established practices of optometry in Overland Park and Gardner, Kansas.

Dr. Hawks is a past President of both the Kansas Optometric Association and the Heart of America Contact Lens Society and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a Diplomat of the American Board of Optometry. He is a member of the Vision Enhancement Council, as well as the American Optometric Association and its Contact Lens and Sports Vision Sections. He is also a past member of the Kansas State Board of Examiners in Optometry. He has authored and lectured on practice management, contact lenses and refractive therapy, and was honored as the 1995 Kansas Optometrist of the Year and Legislative Key Person of the Year.

Dr. Hawks and his wife, Teresa, have two children, Ryan and Lauren.

Dr. Besler

A native of Topeka, Dr. Besler graduated from Kansas State University and completed his professional training at the University of Houston College of Optometry. He graduated in May 1986.

Dr. Besler is a member of the Kansas Optometric Association and the Greater Kansas City Optometric Society. He is also a member of the American Optometric Association and its Contact Lens and Sports Vision Sections. Dr. Besler is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a past President and Director of the Heart of America Contact Lens Society. He was honored as the 1994 Kansas Young Optometrist of the Year.

Dr. Besler’s special clinical interests include contact lenses, primary eye care, and pediatric vision. Dr. Besler and his wife, Diane, have three children, Matt, Mike, and Nick.

Dr. Rogers

Dr. Jason Rogers, originally from Topeka, graduated from Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. He earned his Doctor of Optometry degree in 1995 from Northeastern State University.

Dr. Rogers is an active member of the profession. He previously served as the President of the Kansas Optometric Association and continues to be involved as a member. He’s a member of the American Optometric Association, the Kansas Optometric Foundation, and the Eye Care Council. He received the Distinguished Service Award from the Kansas Optometric Association in 2004 and the Outstanding Young Optometrist Award in 2005. He was awarded the Legislative Service Award in 2012 for his work in the state capitol on behalf of patients and the optometric profession and was recognized as the Kansas Optometrist of the Year in 2018. He is a diplomat of the American Board of Optometry.

Dr. Rogers’ special clinical interests include primary eye care, contact lenses, and ocular disease. Dr. Rogers and his wife, Susan, have three children. He enjoys being active in his church and spending time with family.

Dr. Stoppel

A native of Washington Kansas, Dr. Stoppel graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in Human Biology. In 2003, he attended the University of Missouri in St. Louis where he graduated with a Doctor of Optometry degree in May 2007.

During his four years at optometry school, he was a member of the American Optometric Student Association and was elected trustee by his school. He was also a member of the American Academy of Optometry of which he was appointed AAO/AOSA National Liaison. In addition, Dr. Stoppel is an active member of the Kansas Optometric Association where he was a recent graduate of their Leadership KOA program. He served as Zone President for the Greater Kansas City Zone of the Kansas Optometric Association. Dr. Stoppel, his wife Alaina and two girls, Maddie and Gabbie, reside in Olathe, Kansas and enjoy being involved in community activities.

Dr. Hildebrand

Dr. Hildebrand was born in Denver, Colorado but grew up in Great Bend, Kansas. He attended Kansas State University and graduated with a Biology major and a Leadership Studies minor. He received his optometry degree at Southern California College of Optometry in 2018.
Dr. Hildebrand is a member of the American Optometric Association and the Kansas Optometric Association.
Before joining HBRS Optometrists, Dr. Hildebrand worked in an ophthalmology practice where he gained valuable experience in routine eye examinations, treating and managing ocular diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and macular degeneration, and the pre and post-operative surgical management of cataract surgery and LASIK.
Dr. Hildebrand enjoys spending his downtime with his wife, Abby, and golden retriever, Mango. He also enjoys spending time with friends and family and cheering on the KSU Wildcats whenever possible.