Community Corner
SAN DIEGANS SELECTED AS HEART ADVOCATES ON THE UNION BANK AND AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION 2016 ROSE PARADE(R) FLOAT
Union Bank & the American Heart Association (AHA) Western States Affiliate Selected Randy Truax & Susan Mahler to be in Rose Parade

SAN DIEGO, CA – (December 17, 2015) Union Bank and the American Heart Association (AHA) Western States Affiliate announced today that Randy Truax, an Alpine resident and heart attack survivor, and Susan Mahler, Chula Vista resident and heart transplant recipient, have been selected to represent San Diego and serve as “Heart Advocates” on the organizations’ Union of Hearts float in the 2016 Pasadena Rose Parade. The premier float will be a part of the 2016 Rose Parade® presented by Honda. The name pays tribute to the 30-year collaboration between the bank and the AHA.
For three decades, Union Bank and the American Heart Association have united in the fight against heart disease and stroke, the nation’s No. 1 and No. 5 killers of both men and women. Randy, a Union Bank employee, and Susan will join other survivors of heart disease and stroke, heart health champions and AHA advocates each with unique, inspiring stories who will ride on the float as it travels through Pasadena on New Year’s Day. It will be decorated with more than 15,000 flowers and will include a daytime fireworks display. Phoenix Decorating Company will design and build the float that will stand 25 feet high, 18 feet wide and 55 feet long and is estimated to weigh 25,000 pounds.
“We are truly excited to participate in the parade and all the tradition and pageantry that it has come to represent. This latest manifestation of our long-standing relationship with the AHA speaks directly to the heart of our mission to empower men and women to live longer, healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and stroke,” said Pierre Habis, head of the Consumer and Business Bank for Union Bank.
Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“We are honored to join Union Bank at the Tournament of Roses in celebration of three decades of collaboration to save lives and create a culture of health in our communities. Our alliance has made a huge impact through critical research funding and community outreach. We look forward to beginning our 30th year by bringing a healthy message to the millions of people who watch the Rose Parade,” said Kathy Rogers, Executive Vice President for the American Heart Association Western States Affiliate.
The 127th annual Rose Parade will take place on New Year’s Day 2016 in Pasadena, California. Originally started on January 1, 1890, the event is produced by the non-profit Tournament of Roses Association. The Rose Parade is an integral part of America’s New Year Celebration® and includes decorative floats, marching bands, and equestrian units. This year’s theme grew out of the unique partnership between the Pasadena Tournament of Roses and the National Park Service.
Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
About the Tournament of Roses®
The Tournament of Roses is a volunteer organization that annually hosts the Rose Parade®, the Rose Bowl Game® and a variety of associated events. Nine hundred thirty-five volunteer members act as ambassadors of the organization and contribute upwards of 80,000 hours of manpower each year. The 127th Rose Parade presented by Honda and themed “Find Your Adventure,” will take place Friday, January 1, 2016, followed by the 102nd Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual. Learn more at www.tournamentofroses.com and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About MUFG Union Bank, N.A.
MUFG Union Bank, N.A., is a full-service bank with offices across the United States. We provide a wide spectrum of corporate, commercial and retail banking and wealth management solutions to meet the needs of customers. We also offer an extensive portfolio of value-added solutions for customers, including investment banking, personal and corporate trust, global custody, transaction banking, capital markets, and other services. With assets of $114.3 billion, as of September 30, 2015, MUFG Union Bank has strong capital reserves, credit ratings and capital ratios relative to peer banks. MUFG Union Bank is a proud member of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (NYSE: MTU), one of the world’s largest financial organizations with total assets of approximately ¥284.9 trillion (JPY) or $2.3 trillion (USD)¹, as of June 30, 2015. The corporate headquarters (principal executive office) for MUFG Americas Holdings Corporation, which is the financial holding company and MUFG Union Bank, is in New York City. The main banking office of MUFG Union Bank is in San Francisco, California.
1 Exchange rate of 1 USD=¥122.45 as of June 30, 2015