Mike Koelzer (KEL-zer) is the pharmacist who has been featured on
ABC World News and written about in The Washington Post and USAToday.com.

Why? Because Mike stopped selling all forms of contraceptives at his pharmacy.

As a child, Mike had dreams of becoming a pharmacist just like his dad. Mike began his own road to becoming a pharmacist in 1984 by studying pre-pharmacy during his first two years of college. After taking a year off from pharmacy studies to discern a potential calling to the priesthood at the Redemptorist seminary in St. Louis, MO, Mike returned to continue his pharmacy studies at Purdue University. He graduated from pharmacy school in 1991, and joined his father; working side-by-side with his hero, mentor and friend at Kay Pharmacy, their family-owned pharmacy.

It was only after working in the pharmacy for a number of years that Mike began really studying the Catholic Church's teaching on contraception. Mike decided to approach his father with this information to see if his dad would agree to stop selling contraceptives. The response Mike received from his father was a disappointing "no".

 But that is only the beginning to his amazing story, and one that would catch national attention.

Invite Mike to speak at your next event. Hear this account of one man's triumph over the pressures of the world, being thrust into an international spotlight, his discovery of the unconditional love between him and his father, and the Grace that helped him stand up for what was right, no matter the cost, by eventually stopping the sale of all contraceptives in his third-generation family-owned pharmacy.

Listen as Mike encourages others to make right choices when they are faced with challenges in their own careers and personal lives; challenging them to become the person God is calling them to be, no matter the cost.



In addition to his speaking, Mike is a sought after guest on Catholic radio programs.

Mike lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his wife and ten children.