BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Sept. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Verizon partnered with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation's 25th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards to recognize and celebrate Hispanic leaders who represent the drive of the Hispanic community to be ahead in the development and progress of the country.

"This is an exciting time in our nation's history, as Latino achievement, culture and traditions continue to play a major role shaping U.S. culture," says Oscar Madrid, director of multicultural marketing at Verizon. "Verizon is dedicated to the Hispanic community through a longstanding history of community support, recognition of Hispanic achievement, and as a company passionate about advances in technology and communications that enrich and empower Latinos to move ahead in all aspects of life."

In step with nationwide celebrations that began September 15 and will continue through October 15, Verizon presented the business award to Jorge Vergara at the Hispanic Heritage Foundation's 25th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards on September 15 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

Madrid added: "Jorge is a business owner, film producer, sports team owner and philanthropist. His contributions exemplify the Latino entrepreneurial spirit that propels our community to greater heights."

Vergara is the founder of Grupo Omnilife, one of the top 200 corporations in Mexico and owns the football (soccer) clubs Club Deportivo Guadalajara of Mexico, C.D. Chivas USA of Major League Soccer, and Chivas Hefei. He has also produced internationally recognized movies such as The Assassination of Richard Nixon and the Oscar-nominated Y tu mama tambien.

"We are thrilled Verizon has partnered with us to honor yet another class of inspiring Latino leaders," said Jose Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. "The Latino community throughout history has made a positive impact in America and the world. The Hispanic Heritage Awards were created by the White House 25 years ago, and we will salute the past honorees as we pay tribute to this year's recipients. We are grateful to all our sponsors, who understand the important role Latinos play in moving America and the world forward."

Dr. Elizabeth Molina Morgan, Juanes, Ruben Blades, Hugo Sanchez, Roberto "Chespirito" Gomez Bolanos, and Dr. Juan Andrade, Jr. were also honored at this year's Hispanic Heritage Foundation's 25th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards celebration.

In addition to sponsoring the Hispanic Heritage Awards, Verizon is also paying tribute to Latino consumers with the launch of its first bilingual Facebook and Twitter social media platforms and will host a Hispanic Heritage Month Twitter party on Tuesday, October 11 at 8:00 p.m. CST using the hashtag #SomosFiOS. Party guests will be invited to compete for prizes and discuss their favorite Hispanic customs, traditions, and why they are proud of their heritage.

To learn more about Verizon's sponsorship of the Hispanic Heritage Awards and its commitment to the Hispanic community, visit [ www.enciendetefios.com/heritage ].

For the latest news, updates and information about FiOS TV, visit [ www.verizon.com/newscenter ] and [ http://www.verizon.com/athomeblog ].

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ: [ VZ ]), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with more than 104 million total connections nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers seamless business solutions to customers around the world. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 196,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of $106.6 billion. For more information, visit [ www.verizon.com ].

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high-quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at [ www.verizon.com/news ]. To receive news releases by email, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

SOURCE Verizon Communications Inc.

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Verizon Salutes Latino Leaders During Hispanic Heritage Awards at the Kennedy Center

Verizon Salutes Latino Leaders During Hispanic Heritage Awards at the Kennedy Center

Technology Innovator Presents Business Award to Jorge Vergara