The award was presented by Arkansas Business Publishing Group at its 30th Annual Business of the Year Awards.

“We are excited and, of course, humbled to receive this tremendous honor,” said Matt Dozier, president and CEO of the EAST Initiative. “Every day we work to make sure that our students have a transformational educational experience, and it’s thrilling to see others take note of the hard work we do for our students, work that’s made possible thanks to our numerous supporters and sponsors in both the public and private sectors.”

Dozier accepted the award with Jaclyn Johnson, a senior at Malvern High School who has been in EAST for eight years and is serving this year as co-leader of a group of student ambassadors at the EAST Conference, an annual three-day celebration of student accomplishments being held March 13-15 at the Hot Springs Convention Center.

For-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations are considered for the Business of the Year honors based on community nominations. Arkansas Business selected five finalists in each category in December. The winners were named at a banquet at the Statehouse Convention Center on Feb. 22.

The EAST Initiative was previously named a finalist for the Nonprofit of the Year Award in 2014. Dozier was a finalist for Nonprofit Executive of the Year in 2013.

The EAST Initiative’s mission is to provide all learners the opportunity to have relevant, individualized, life-changing educational experiences. It establishes and supports classrooms built on the principle that students can actively determine their own learning when challenged to help their community and empowered by sophisticated technology. Headquartered in Little Rock, EAST currently serves 246 schools in four states. Additionally the organization offers training to EAST students and professional development for EAST educators, as well as for traditional classroom teachers, regardless of subject area or grade level.