‘Pensioner of the Year 2025’: AESA recognizes Sabino Félix Pizarro’s career

Sabino Félix Pizarro was honored for his distinguished career spanning more than five decades of service to Puerto Rico.

By THE STAR STAFF

The Association of Former Employees of Partners in Action (AESA by its initials in Spanish) held the sixth annual “Pensioner of the Year 2025” award ceremony, this year dedicated to former public official Sabino Félix Pizarro, in honor of his distinguished career spanning more than five decades of service to Puerto Rico.

During the ceremony, AESA highlighted the career of Félix Pizarro, who held various leadership positions in the public sector, including director of the treasury of the then-Department of Public Instruction, director of finance of the Senate, director of general services and the Loan Department of the Commonwealth Employees Association (AEELA), as well as assistant executive director and interim executive director of that institution.

“We are proud to recognize the career of a man whose professional life has been marked by dedication and commitment to public service,” AESA President Genoveva Ríos said. “Mr. Sabino Félix Pizarro represents the values ​​our organization promotes: commitment, responsibility, and love for Puerto Rico.”

Visibly moved, the honoree expressed his gratitude for the distinction and dedicated the recognition to all the island’s retirees.

“Receiving this tribute is an immense honor. Serving Puerto Rico has always been a vocation, and seeing that effort remembered and valued fills me with gratitude,” Pizarro said. “I share this recognition with all my fellow retirees who continue to contribute to our country in different ways.”

The ceremony took place during Retiree Week, dedicated to highlighting the contributions of retired public servants.

“Every year we celebrate the lives and work of those who have left their mark on our labor and social history,” Ríos added. “It is important to recognize that retirement does not mean the end of service, but rather a new stage of contribution based on experience and wisdom.”

Founded in 1971, AESA is a nonprofit organization that brings together former public employees and retirees, dedicated to protecting their quality of life and promoting solidarity among its members. The organization also promotes social and legislative initiatives on behalf of older adults in Puerto Rico.