Insurer aligns with The Latino Coalition to honor Hispanic entrepreneurs in Texas with Aflac Civic Awards.

COLUMBUS, Ga., Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, four exemplary Hispanic entrepreneurs were recognized with an Aflac Civic Award for making a difference in Texas. Vernon Herrera, a district sales coordinator at Aflac, and Hector Barreto, chairman of the Latino Coalition and former administrator of the Small Business Administration, honored each winner during an awards ceremony held at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas, Texas.

"We are extremely proud to recognize these extraordinary business leaders for making a difference in their community," said Herrera. "They continuously strengthen the community through their civic contributions in their quest to building a better future."

    The Aflac Civic Award honorees are:
       -- Arcilia Acosta is the president of CARCON Industries & Construction
          specializing in commercial, institutional and transportation
          construction in Dallas, Texas. Acosta was named Texas Hispanic
          Businesswoman of the Year in 2006. She serves as board of advisor
          for Texas State Bank; chair-elect for Texas Association of Mexican-
          American Chambers of Commerce; board member of QUOIN (Association of
          General Contractors); and, immediate past chair of the Greater
          Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She is an active civic leader,
          role model and mentor for Latinas in business through her
          participation in the Junior League of Dallas, the Dallas Assembly,
          the Dallas Together Forum, Texas Health Resources, the MBE Policy
          Institute and the Hispanic Contractors Association.

       -- Patrick H. Cordero of Midland is the CEO of Strategic Abstract and
          Title Corporation and city attorney for Fort Stockton in Pecos
          County, Texas.  He was appointed by the Governor of Texas to serve
          as chairman of the Texas Residential Construction Commission.
          Previously he served on the state's Telecommunication Infrastructure
          Fund Board and Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board. He
          is the founder and president of the Midland Community Development
          Corp., a nonprofit affordable housing and micro-loan program; a
          board member of Children's Community Council; and operations
          chairman of Casa de Amigos. His past leadership positions have
          included board chair, Midland Chamber of Commerce; vice chair and
          treasurer, Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of
          Commerce; and board member of High Sky Children's Ranch and Midland
          Neighborhood Housing Services. Cordero was also named Businessman of
          the Year and Member of the Year of the Midland Chamber.

       -- Vince E. Puente, Sr., president of Southwest Office Systems, Inc.,
          in Fort Worth, Texas, civic advocacy extends beyond monetary
          donations. His devotion and passion for service is evidenced in his
          involvement on several organizations' boards, ranging from the
          Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce and Casa Manana Theater to
          advisory councils for U.S. Congresswoman Kay Granger and Chancellor
          Dr. Victor Boschini at Texas Christian University. He was recently
          honored as Father of the Year in Texas, the 2005 Business Man of the
          Year by the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of
          Commerce, Texas Ambassador of Jewish Council for Public Affairs-
          Israel Institute for Hispanic American Leaders and member of the
          Holloman Air Force Base's Civic Leaders Tour.

       -- D. Jorge Urbina is an attorney and title expert in Denton, Texas,
          and an exemplary volunteer leader who's committed to active
          community service and social change. Born in Eagle Pass, Texas, and
          one of nine children, Urbina was an exchange student in Austria, a
          Peace Corps volunteer in Africa and a technical advisor in Rural
          Housing. A tireless advocate for the elderly, children and
          immigrants, Urbina's community work spans from founder of the Legal
          Hotline for Older Texans and the citywide Back-to-School program for
          low-income children to Denton Affordable Housing Corporation and
          AIDS Services Advisory Committee. He also serves as chair of Board
          of Directors of the Denton Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and
          executive board member of Denton Council's League of United Latin
          American Citizens.

Nominees for the Aflac Civic Award were considered based upon their involvement in the community and evaluated through an online process with a group of leading business executives who served as judges.

Earlier this year, Aflac presented 12 national and regional Aflac Civic Awards to Hispanic entrepreneurs who find time to give back to their community despite the demands of running a small business. To learn more about the award and the nomination process, visit aflac.com or enespanol.aflac.com.

Aflac is ranked among the top corporations of Latina Style's 50 Best Companies for Hispanic Women to Work for in the U.S. Aflac has also made the list of Hispanic Trends magazine's Top 50 Companies for Supplier Diversity and Hispanic magazine's Top 100 Companies Providing the Most Opportunities to Hispanics.

About Aflac

For more than 50 years, Aflac products have given policyholders the opportunity to direct cash where it is needed most when a life-interrupting medical event causes financial challenges. Aflac is the number one provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States and the number one insurance company in terms of individual insurance policies in force in Japan. Aflac's insurance products provide protection to more than 40 million people worldwide. Aflac has been included in Fortune magazine's listing of America's Most Admired Companies for seven consecutive years and Forbes magazine's Platinum 400 List of America's Best Big Companies for seven years. In January 2007, Aflac was included in Fortune magazine's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America for the ninth consecutive year. Aflac was also included in Fortune magazine's list of the Top 50 Employers for Minorities in August 2005, and in September 2005, Aflac Japan was named the Life Insurance Company of the Year at the Asia Insurance Industry Awards, sponsored by the Asia Insurance Review. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit aflac.com.

About the Latino Coalition

The Latino Coalition is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization based in Washington, D.C. TLC was established to address policy issues that directly affect the well-being of Hispanics in the United States. TLC's agenda is to develop and promote policies that will foster economic equivalency and enhance overall business, economic and social development of Hispanics. For more information, visit www.TheLatinoCoalition.com.

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Media Contact:
Darcy Brito
Aflac Incorporated
(706)320-2348
dbrito@aflac.com