John McCarthy steps up as board chair
VANCOUVER, BC–BC Cancer Foundation is thrilled to announce their new board Chair, John McCarthy from Burnaby, B.C. He is the youngest Chair in the Foundation’s 86-year history at age 31.
John first joined the BC Cancer Foundation Board of Directors in 2018, most recently holding the role of Vice Chair. He will be taking over the role from Kirsten Tisdale who recently ended her term as Chair and will remain on the board.
“John has proven to be a wonderful addition to our board since 2018, and I could not be more thrilled for him to step into the role of our Chair,” says Sarah Roth, President and CEO, BC Cancer Foundation. “John’s commitment to raising awareness for the Foundation across the province has been inspiring, and he will play an invaluable role as we continue to deepen our impact and connections with donors throughout B.C.”
John has been a dedicated supporter of BC Cancer Foundation for years, and he is eager to continue acting as an advocate for the Foundation, including spreading awareness provincially among donors, patients, influencers and decision-makers across communities in B.C.
“I am honoured to be stepping into the role of Chair with BC Cancer Foundation,” says John. “It holds a lot of significance to me, as my family have been supporters of the Foundation for decades. I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to support the transformative work of the Foundation, and the world class cancer care and research this powers across our province.”
John and his family have a long history with BC Cancer Foundation, beginning with a ground-breaking gift his great grandfather John Jambor made to the Foundation in 1972 in honour of his late wife Joan Jambor who passed away two years after being diagnosed with stomach and colon cancer. John Jambor and Joan were both immigrants to Canada, and they were passionate about giving back to their new country, which has inspired their family ever since.
John’s father, William McCarthy, has also been steadfast in his generous support of the Foundation, highlighted by the astounding Jambor-McCarthy Legacy gift of $21.4 million to the Foundation in 2012. At the time, it was the largest charitable bequest to a single beneficiary in B.C.’s history.
In 2018, the McCarthy family and their businesses supported a matching campaign to honour every new confirmed planned gift to the BC Cancer Foundation, up to a total of $1 million. Engaging with planned giving donors is one of John’s top priorities in his new role.
John’s personal passion for the Foundation stems from its province-wide impact.
“BC Cancer Foundation is unique in that we are a truly provincial organization — our scope is province-wide,” he says. “I am looking forward to building fundraising across B.C. and spreading awareness about the Foundation throughout all regions.”
John is Vice President of W.P.J. McCarthy and Company Ltd., where he is responsible for all management, operations, and leasing of the firms privately held real estate portfolio and works as a broker and consultant across multiple real estate asset classes. He is passionate about strengthening local communities through his work in real estate and philanthropy.
John holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a Diploma of Technology in Marketing Management, both from the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), along with several other real estate designations through the Real Estate Institute of Canada, the Real Estate Institute of British Columbia, and the Sauder School of Business at UBC.