Calgary pharmacist Pat Thomson has been installed as president of the Alberta College of Pharmacy Council. The installment ceremony was part of ACP’s annual Celebration of Leadership on June 18, 2025, in Edmonton.
“It’s still a little surreal,” said Pat. “I never really thought I’d be in this position and I am very humbled and appreciative of the trust and confidence that my fellow members of Council have seen in me to agree to install me in this role.”
Pat, who has been practising as a pharmacist in Alberta for nearly three decades, was elected to Council in 2023. He has been a pharmacy owner and licensee and a preceptor for many pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. He describes himself as an informal leader.
“I believe in letting people develop their own processes and approaches—there’s more than one way to do something right,” said Pat. “As Council president, this is a great opportunity to use my role to ensure that every voice has the opportunity to be heard. People need to feel that they have the chance to express their voice. The safety to be able to communicate openly is foundational to what we do.”
For Pat, the biggest priority ahead of Council for the rest of this year is to continue the development of the college’s three-year strategic plan, due to launch in 2026.
“We’ve had some excellent discussions in Council as part of our strategic planning process, and I am confident we will collaborate to come up with a strategic plan that will support us in our vision of healthy Albertans through excellence in pharmacy practice,” said Pat. “It’s ACP’s responsibility and duty to ensure that pharmacy professionals are given a practice model to maximize the opportunity to help Albertans achieve their health goals. Our strategic plan will lay the foundation for us to accomplish this.”
Another priority is to see the current strategic plan through to its completion at the end of 2025. Perhaps the biggest achievement of the current plan was the development and launch of new standards, which took effect February 1, 2025.
“We will continue to work with pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to ensure that regulated members are supported as they work to achieve the new standards,” said Pat. “These standards have been created to enable regulated members to excel in delivering person-centered care. We all chose to be pharmacy professionals because we have an inherent need to help people. Our role is to make people feel better. I hope we all—particularly in the current environment in health care—will, in an honest and curious and passionate way, endeavour to provide the best care possible to our communities.”
In assuming the president’s role, Pat succeeds Patrick Zachar, who stepped in for a second term as president when public member and then president Deb Manz resigned in October 2024.
“I have a sincere and profound appreciation for Patrick to take on that role again, especially considering he’s working on developing his own business,” said Pat. “For him to step into that role for a second time was a very selfless and honourable act. I hope he understands it was very much appreciated by the registrar and Council of the day.”
Pat’s one-year term as ACP Council president begins on July 1, 2025.
