Thank You, Special Officer Octavio Solano
Thank You, Special Officer Octavio Solano
by Senior Special Officer, Gabriel Papa
The day finally arrived for the man who had always put his best foot forward. Senior Special Officer Octavio Solano retires after a well-deserved 40 years at the Metropolitan Museum of Art—a man who made such a massive difference in this institution and many of our lives.
Solano is one of the few that many may remember not only for his distinguishable smile and great sense of humor but also as the one individual we could turn to for advice, information, or a helping hand. He set the baseline of what a Special Officer should be, set the standards by which we should be measuring up, and demonstrated that working hard pays off.
The Met is losing not only a great individual, an extraordinary worker, and a leader by example but also someone with institutional and common knowledge you can’t buy.
I cannot express my immense gratitude for his efforts as a shop steward, his commitment as a delegate for our Union, and as a chapter vice president who represented at the bargaining table with unbreakable tenacity. Solano’s promise to represent the brothers and sisters of our Local 1503 kept him engaged with every one new and seasoned. He was the embodiment of unity and solidarity.
Enough can’t be said for the man who reached legendary status amongst the many who had the privilege of working with and learning from him. Undoubtedly, no one would be like him, but we can only try to follow in his footsteps to better ourselves, better our Union, and remain strong as he did over all these years.
I salute Solano. It was an honor. Enjoy your retirement!
