McFarlane Promotions is a special event and public relations firm located in the historic Gaslamp Quarter, founded by Laurel Mcfarlane in March 1995.

McFarlane began her career as an intern for the Gaslamp Quarter Association, and because of her dedication, creativeness and attention to detail, then board of director members Michael Hogue and Deborah Owen, encouraged her to open her own special events company.

McFarlane said those qualities are now her company’s trademark assets.

“This unique company not only stylizes and coordinates special events, but also handles all promotional and public relations-oriented aspects of each program,” she said.

The company is synonymous with Southern California’s events and high profile corporate and non-profit clients, including the San Diego Padres, ESPN, SBC, IPAY, the Gaslamp Quarter Association, Downtown San Diego Partnership and the Hillcrest Association, among others.

“Mcfarlane understands both the budgetary needs of non-profit organizations and the image-oriented needs of corporate businesses,” McFarlane said, noting the company’s success in raising more than $1 million per year for non-profit clients while creating and implementing visionary new programs for corporate clients.

McFarlane, a married mother of four, said her company is not one to simply write a check or purchase sponsorship as a responsibility to the community. “The company prefers to take an active role and get personally involved with various community and charity relation-organizations. We strive to reach out into other areas of community need,” she said.

In doing so, McFarlane has been the recipient of more than 14 awards from various organizations, including the Better Business Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics in 2005.