Over the past several months, the Richardson East Rotary Club has been hard at work with Laura Small (Manager, Behavioral Health & Addiction Recovery, Methodist Richardson Medical Center Campus for Continuing Care) to revitalize their dated courtyard, a project made possible by a District 5810 Rotary Grant.
This past month, our volunteers began putting the final touches on the courtyard. The beautiful deck has been completed as well as new grass sod and plantings to brighten up the area were installed. This project has taken place over many weekends throughout our Rotary year, with so many of our members, spouses and friends performing tough hands-on work to transform it.
These efforts will create a more peaceful and welcoming environment, offering patients a much-needed break from the hospital setting. Thank you to all everyone who has volunteered and supported during this impactful project!!
Jeff LaPlante is a seasoned business development leader with a career built around helping organizations grow, strengthen customer relationships, and streamline the way they work. As Director of Business Development at Cevitr, he partners with teams across industries to boost efficiency and resilience through intelligent RPA automation and a modern digital workforce model. Jeff’s people‑first approach and practical, solutions‑driven mindset shape the way he collaborates with executives and operational teams nationwide.
Before joining Cevitr, Jeff built a rich professional foundation across the wholesale, manufacturing, and optical consumer technology sectors. He served as Director of Business Development at Clearway, leading market expansion for a vertically integrated PVC manufacturer serving clients across the United States in industrial distribution and HVACR clientele. Prior to that, he worked as U.S./Canada Sales Director for Karün - a Chilean firm bringing a sustainability‑driven eyewear line to North America and contracted across the United States with Walmart.
Jeff’s earlier journey includes influential roles with Essilor/Luxottica, and Rochester Optical, where he supported distributors, global partners, and emerging tech initiatives in advanced vision technologies. He also held senior leadership positions at PFO Global, driving innovation, new‑market growth, and national account expansion in the managed care sector. His career began with more than two decades at Signet Armorlite, where he developed deep expertise in training, retail sales strategy, and accredited educational presentations as an ABO Master Optician.
Jeff resides in Sherman, TX with Christina, and his two Berniedoodles Bella & Caruso.
