Why I support CFP: Mike Jaczko

For longtime Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy supporter Mike Jaczko, giving back to the profession consists of contributing time and money.

A Toronto-based advisor with KJ Harrison Investors and founder of IntroPharm Advisors, Jaczko has spent decades working at the intersection of pharmacy and financial strategy. His connection to CFP stretches back more than 10 years, helping to fill a critical gap in the profession in terms of pharmacy management education.

Along with a team of educators and experts he helped CFP develop Pharmacy Management in Canada, the country’s only textbook dedicated to pharmacy management, with content written and reviewed by more than 100 experts nationwide.

“I began to sense that there was potential for CFP to grow,” he says. “And I tried to assist in areas where I thought I could contribute uniquely.”

A pharmacist by training and also educated in corporate finance, Jaczko graduated from the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Pharmacy in 1980 and built his early career in pharmacy ownership and management. He eventually sold the pharmacy group he co-owned in the mid-1990s and transitioned into advisory work, helping independent pharmacy owners build stronger, more sustainable businesses.

This dual perspective—clinical and financial—has shaped the kind of support he has brought to CFP. The pharmacy management textbook, developed in collaboration with faculties across Canada, was designed to address what he saw as a persistent imbalance in the profession. “There’s a lot of clinical content available, but there wasn’t enough support to help pharmacists become better businesspeople,” he says. “The premise is that you need both.”

Jaczko has also contributed his expertise in financial stewardship, helping CFP establish an investment policy framework to guide and protect its assets over time. He has contributed to live educational programming focused on the business of pharmacy—an area he believes continues to be underserved.

The motivation behind this work with CFP, he says, is rooted in a desire to strengthen the profession from within. He points to the importance of equipping the next generation of pharmacy owners with the tools they need to succeed—not only clinically, but as entrepreneurs. “We’ve developed a passion for helping people learn how to build better practices,” he says. “The clinical and financial sides don’t have to be mutually exclusive.”

While the profession evolves, Jaczko remains committed to supporting initiatives through organizations like CFP that address unmet needs and create lasting value. “I do this because because I believe in it—and the impact it can have on the profession and the communities it serves.”