(Source: Business Wire)In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Union Bank and KCET will honor five exceptional Latinos from Los Angeles and Orange County with the 2009 Local Heroes Award for their outstanding community service. This year's honorees are: Judge Rudolph Diaz of Los Angeles; Antonia Hernandez of Los Angeles; Rueben Martinez of Santa Ana; and Raul and Maria Salinas of Pasadena. The awards will be given on Thursday, October 1, 2009 at the KCET studios in Los Angeles.

The honorees will be formally recognized as part of the 12th Annual Local Heroes Awards, which Union Bank sponsors in conjunction with public television station KCET. The station will also broadcast video profiles of the honorees throughout its Hispanic Heritage Month programming from September 15 to October 15.

"Union Bank is proud to recognize the contributions of these local heroes who have generously given their wisdom, time and resources to enrich our communities," said George Ramirez, senior vice president and head of Priority Banking® at Union Bank. "We are delighted to again partner with KCET as we recognize these individuals who personify our core values of diversity and community involvement."

"KCET is honored to again partner with Union Bank to celebrate this year's Local Heroes," said Al Jerome, president and CEO of KCET. "These heroes in our communities work each and every day to improve the quality of life for all. We are pleased to introduce them to our viewers through the video profiles airing on KCET throughout Hispanic Heritage Month so that millions of others will have an opportunity to learn more about the many contributions of these outstanding community leaders."

The 2009 honorees are:

Judge Rudolph Diaz presides over Family Law at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Los Angeles. For more than six years, he served as the supervising judge of the Eastlake Juvenile Court where he initiated the Juvenile Drug Court Program. Judge Diaz is also chairman of the Los Angeles County Oversight Committee on Drug Courts and serves on the Los Angeles County Narcotics and Dangerous Drug Commission. He is a founding member of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals and was the first Latino to serve as president of the California Judges Association.

Antonia Hernandez is president and CEO of the California Community Foundation (CCF), one of the largest philanthropic organizations in Southern California. Previously, she was president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF). Nationally recognized for her commitment to underserved communities throughout Los Angeles, Hernandez currently serves on numerous boards, including the Institute of Politics at Harvard University's John F.