Saul Solis – Senior Product Manager – Albertsons Companies

As the son of Mexican immigrant parents who came to America to pursue the American dream, for Saul Solis growing up in rural Idaho and working in the fields of southwest Idaho alongside his parents, siblings and other migrants was a normal American life for him.

As he got older and began seeing the bigger world around him, something began to stir in him: He wanted to go to college.

“I believed people like me whose parents didn’t attend college and who did the types of jobs I did up to that point could not make it to college,” Solis said. “Now, I am grateful that the resilient and determined kid in me won the mental battle I fought for a long time.”

Solis graduated with his undergraduate degree in information technology management from Boise State University and became a proud first-generation college graduate and professional.

“My greatest life accomplishment has been navigating spaces that nobody in my family has ever experienced and somehow finding ways to leave my mark while influencing and serving as a role model for younger generations,” he said.

After graduation, Solis worked for seven years as a principal consultant for Impac Services, then as an implementation project manager for Chrome River Technologies. He then served for three years as the associate director of product management at Cask NX before beginning his current role as the senior product manager for Albertsons Companies.

“I have evolved my work experience from picking crops in the fields of Idaho to put food on the tables of Americans, to now building digital technology products for Albertsons Companies who sell the crops I used to pick as a young child,” he said. “The digital products I have helped build have touched the lives of millions of Americans and include COVID-19 response applications.”

Solis enjoys being involved in and around the community, too. In the past, he’s served as a board member and programming chair for the Idaho Hispanic Youth Symposium, as well as a board member of the Boise State University Alumni Association and Northwest Oracle Users Group.

“Saul is in a position professionally where he is able to mentor and guide new and experienced professionals,” said Joshua Engler, educational specialist at Caldwell High School. “He has a wealth of experiences that he can draw upon. Even with his success, he remains humble, kind and compassionate toward others.”

When he’s not working, Solis’ favorite hobby is collecting race medals. He has completed 13 races in the last five years.

“My personal philosophy is that the road to success and happiness is not linear. There will always be ups and downs,” he said. “The beauty in life is found in being present in every moment that makes us stop and look around at everything that is occurring around us. I try to find meaning in the small and big moments and use those experiences to become a better person, professional, and friend to those in my life.”