San Mateo born and raised, and now a Sacramento resident, Ingrid Lundquist’s calling has been event planning her entire life. Growing up, her mother was the volunteer event planner (and founding member) for the First Presbyterian Church in San Mateo, tasked with planning weddings, luncheons, and other relevant happenings. And with each gathering, the young Lundquist watched closely, observing the hows and whys behind successful event planning—and, eventually, the student became the teacher.
“Event production was in my blood,” says Lundquist. “I turned my church training into a backyard midway, lemonade stand, or live performance. It just came naturally. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t orchestrating something, gathering a group of participants, and rounding up an audience.”
Today, Lundquist’s industry involvement includes being a certified special events professional, an International Live Events Association (ILEA) member, a board member of the California Festivals & Events Association, the author of three books about event planning, and owner of The Lundquist Co. While two of her books on events are now out of print, Lundquist’s third industry publication—“Results-Driven Event Planning: Using Marketing Tools to Boost Your Bottom Line”—won the 2012 International Special Events Society (now ILEA) Esprit Award for Best Industry Contribution and was used as a textbook at schools including the University of California–Davis and California State University–Sacramento.
“I thrive on using my brain and experience as resources to dream up solutions,” says Lundquist. “Using an event as the vehicle provides an exciting opportunity to deliver a message in many different shapes and forms. I love tapping into creativity and injecting an event with unexpected elements.” At The Lundquist Co., she has infused her extensive experience to create a business that not only delivers on client goals but also has made a name for itself as the provider of high-profile gatherings.
“We have worked with nonprofits and governments, as well as the private and corporate sectors, on every-thing from eight-person team-building events to 35,000-person public spectacles; lavish social occasions; and somber, heartfelt gatherings,” Lundquist adds. When asked about her favorite part of the job, she has an inspiring answer: “Dreaming big and watching the dream come to life!”
