Dennis started his career in the event business while attending Michigan State University, managing backstage arrangements for artists such as INXS, The Clash, and George Carlin, among others. After graduation, he worked for Pro Events as promoter rep for the Judd’s Farewell Tour and Wynonna’s first two solo tours while also being heavily involved with the development of new festivals in Florida (Suwannee River Jam, Rotagilla Festival, Crystal RiverJam), Oregon (Oregon Jamboree), and California (Feather River Jam). During this time, he also oversaw all logistics and operations for Nashville’s long running Summer Lights Festival.

 

In 1997, Dennis assisted Mayor Bredesen with the creation of the Mayor’s Office of Film and Special Events. In 1999 Dennis returned to his real passion; producing live events. He excels at event budgeting, creating timelines and schedules, developing site layouts (CAD drawings), negotiating with local government officials, creating safety and security plans, emergency management coordination, as well as hiring and managing every manner of subcontractor and supplier. Dennis thrives in the high intensity event world, priding himself on making wise decisions in stressful situations.

 

Over twenty-five years later, Dennis has accumulated a wealth of knowledge and expertise working events as diverse as CMA Music Fest, Walmart’s Shareholders Meeting, KAABOO, Nashville Ultra Marathon and Luke Bryan’s Farm Tour, just to name a few.

Tiffany is an innovative and forward-thinking freelance professional whose management style in production, events, talent relations, and VIP coordination sets her apart. As a true multipotentialite, she brings a diverse background spanning small music and television productions to large-scale award ceremonies, festivals, parades, live shows, and major sporting events. Committed to excellence and professionalism, Tiffany’s strong work ethic, integrity, efficiency, flexibility, and reliability have been key drivers of her continued success.

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With a creative mindset and positive leadership approach, Tiffany excels at guiding teams, managing complex logistics, and thriving in fast-paced, dynamic environments. Her impressive portfolio includes collaborations with the NFL, CMA, Disney, ABC, Red Bull, Big Machine and the Philadelphia Eagles, among others.

MODERATOR

Mandi Naylor began her live events career in 2011 as an intern with Dennis Freeman, working her first CMA Fest and quickly discovering her passion for hospitality and large-scale event logistics. Over the next couple of years, she built a strong freelance career supporting festivals and events in Nashville before joining CMA full-time from 2014 to 2019.

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After returning to freelance work in 2019, Mandi became a key player in the festival catering world, partnering with companies such as C3 Presents and The Production Collective. Her work has centered on creating seamless food and hospitality experiences for crews, artists, and event teams—sometimes serving thousands of people at once. Eventually joining The Production Collective for 2 years full time.  Mandi has worked on large events such as the NFL Draft and Superbowl, ACL, Bonnaroo, NASCAR Chicago, and When We Were Young just to name a few. 

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In 2025, Mandi stepped into her current role as National Food Program Manager for DLS Events, where she oversees large-scale catering and concessions operations nationwide. Driven by a deep passion for taking care of people, Mandi continues to champion the heart of live events: community, connection, and making everyone feel at home—no matter where the road leads.

Founder and President, The Production Collective

Shawn Worlow is a veteran of the live event industry with 29 years of experience in touring and later producing some of the most complex and high-profile events in North America. As Founder and President of The Production Collective, he has led operational planning and on-the-ground production for events such as the NFL Draft, Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, March Madness Music Festival, and SEMA Fest. Shawn specializes in coordinating multi-agency logistics, overseeing labor negotiations and management and managing site operations and production at scale.

 

Shawn’s leadership is rooted in his ability to assemble highly capable teams and adapt strategy to meet evolving show conditions. He is known for building environments that are not only operationally sound but also highly collaborative — balancing large sponsor, broadcast, and municipal needs while keeping teams engaged and supported. Whether he's managing production, power, IT infrastructure, or artist advancement, Shawn brings both the technical expertise and the interpersonal instincts needed to lead complex, time-sensitive projects.