Awards ceremony will be held on November 16, 2009, at the United Nations in Manhattan

NEW YORK, NY - Dr. Angela Diaz, professor of pediatrics at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and Jose Luis Rodriguez, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network, Inc. (HITN), have been confirmed to attend the 8^th Annual Latino Trendsetter Awards as honorees.

Diaz and Rodriguez will join Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Latin music legend Willie Colon, and author/activist Laura Posada – wife of New York Yankees’ Jorge Posada – at this historic event on on November 16, 2009, at the United Nations Headquarters, between 42^nd and 48^th Streets & First Avenue, in New York City.

Other prominent Latinos who will be honored on this historic night include Jose Pinero, Director of Communications for TV, Video, and Business at Microsoft; NY1’s Maritza Puello; Lourdes Lopez, Director of Marketing at AXA Equitable; Professor Jenny Rivera of CUNY Law College; Richard Gonzales, the New York District Manager of Capital One Bank; Lutzi Vieluf, owner of Cibao Meat Products; Inca Cola’s Randall Berman & Elizabeth Chalas Berman; and attorney Miguel Pozo of Lowenstein Sandler. A full list of Trendsetters, past and present, can be found at www.latinotrendsetter.com.

The Latino Trendsetter Awards are given by DTM (Defining Trends Magazine) to leaders and innovators in the Hispanic community who maintain high levels of standards through their actions and deeds.  They are the ones who are not afraid to stand out from the pack in order to make a difference and define trends that influence both the mainstream and the Latino/Hispanic culture from which they have arose. Another part of the festivities are the scholarships being awarded to college students in the CUNY system – this year, 5% of the event proceeds will be given to the scholarship fund for deserving CUNY students.

This year’s lucky scholarship winners are: Melinda Gonzales of CUNY Lehman College; and Victoria Rodriguez of the City College of New York, with more winners to be announced.

For more information, contact:

Bernadette Giacomazzo

718-472-5538

Bgiacomazzo@dtmmag.com