ABOUT US
LEARN ABOUT OUR PRACTICE
Benrus Surgical Associates was founded by Drs Ben Neubeiser, Russell Crider and Earl Wipfler and has been serving the St. Charles community since 1968. Benrus Surgical Associates is currently comprised of Kenneth Hacker, Laurel Yeager, Jennifer Etling and Jerad Miller. Benrus Surgical Associates currently performs procedures covering the cities of St. Charles, St. Peters, Lake St. Louis, O’Fallon and Wentzville.
WHO WE ARE
MEET OUR TEAM
WHO WE ARE
MEET OUR DOCTORS
BENRUS SURGICAL DOCTORS
KENNETH HACKER MD, FACS
Originally from St. Louis, Dr. Hacker obtained his undergraduate and medical degrees from Creighton University in Omaha. He completed his general surgery residency at St. Luke’s Hospital-Kansas City. He is a board-certified general surgeon and a Fellow in the American College of Surgeons. He has been with the group since 1996. He performs all aspects of general surgery including laparoscopic surgery for gallbladder disease and reflux. He has a particular interest in complex hernia repair and often holds courses teaching surgeons various hernia repair techniques.
LAUREL YEAGER MD, FACS
Dr. Yeager is a board-certified general surgeon who has been with Benrus since 1999. She received her undergraduate degree from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston and her medical degree from Southern Illinois in Springfield. She completed her general surgery residency at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals in Madison, Wisconsin. She is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society and The American Society of Breast Surgeons. She lives in St. Charles with her husband, Kevin and their two children, Madison and Olivia. Her interests include breast surgery and general surgery.
JENNIFER ETLING MD, FACS
Dr. Etling is a board-certified general surgeon, who has been with Benrus Surgical Associates since January 2005. Dr. Etling received her undergraduate degree from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, and her medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. She completed her general surgery residency at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics in Madison, Wisconsin. She is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. She lives in St. Louis with her husband and four children, Taylor, Tommy, Addison and Avery. Her special interests include general and laparoscopic surgery.
JERAD MILLER MD, FACS, FASCRS
Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Dr. Miller obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Nebraska. He completed his general surgery residency at Mount Carmel Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. He then obtained a fellowship in colon and rectal surgery from Grant Hospital in Columbus Ohio. He has been with the group since 2008 and is the only board-certified colorectal surgeon in St. Charles County. His areas of interest are colon and rectal surgery including both benign and malignant pathology. He is a Fellow in the American College of Surgeons as well as the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.
Melissa Franke MD, FNP-C
Melissa Franke, FNP-C is a board-certified Nurse Practitioner who began working with Benrus Surgical in 2018. She received her undergraduate degree in Biology at William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri and later attended the University of Missouri-Columbia for her bachelor’s in nursing. Melissa attended graduate school at Maryville University in St. Louis for her Family Nurse Practitioner. As a nurse practitioner, Melissa diagnoses and treats many issues presenting to our surgical clinic. She was raised in Idaho but has called Missouri her home since 2005. Melissa lives with her husband Johnathan and their three daughters, Tenley, Taylor, and Tessa.
Dr. Kurt A. Piening Jr.
Please join us in welcoming our newest provider, Dr. Kurt A. Piening Jr. Dr. Piening Jr. was born in Ohio and raised right here in St. Charles County. He obtained his medical degree here in Missouri at SLU. He then completed his medical residency in Illinois. He moved home after his residency and lives with his beautiful family, his wife and 3 children. Dr. Piening Jr. is now offering his skills and services to our medical community right here in his hometown. He offers a wide range of surgical services, from skin cancer to complex hernia repairs. Please call the office if you are in need of a surgical consultation, our team would be happy to help you get scheduled.