Stuart Dill

26-year music veteran Dill brings clients including Billy Ray, Jo Dee

Brentwood Home Page news service
Global sports and entertainment leader Octagon announced the expansion of Octagon Entertainment into Nashville with the hiring of longtime industry veteran and Brentwood resident Stuart Dill as a Senior Vice President.

Dill, a respected artist manager with 26 years of experience in the music business, will spearhead Octagon's management presence in country music and will serve as General Manager of a new Octagon Entertainment office in Nashville.

Dill and his team will bring to Octagon top notch artist management clients including Billy Ray Cyrus (Buena Vista Records), Laura Bell Bundy (Mercury Nashville Records) and Jo Dee Messina (Curb Records).

"Octagon is an absolute leader in celebrity management as well as global branding," Dill said. "Our current Nashville roster and future artist signings will allow us to take full advantage of the tremendous resources Octagon has to offer. Octagon continues to be on the cutting edge of new entertainment models that successfully brand and create opportunities for their clients, and I am thrilled to be a part of their team."

Dill will work closely with Octagon Entertainment Managing Director John Ferriter and Octagon Music Managing Director Peter Rudge on artist development and a wide array of other projects.

"We couldn't be more excited to work with Stuart and his team," Ferriter said. "Stuart has been a close friend for years, and I have always enjoyed our collaborations in the past. As a longtime fan of country music, I am thrilled to expand our entertainment division into Nashville as it has long been a personal priority and focus for me."

Dill started managing artists for the Jim Halsey Company in 1985 and then opened his own management company, Refugee Management, in 1990.

His previous management credits include The Wreckers (Michelle Branch & Jessica Harp), Dwight Yoakam, Point of Grace and many other legendary artists over the years such as Minnie Pearl, Freddy Fender (and the Texas Tornadoes), Bellamy Bros., Michael Martin Murphey, Holly Dunn, Forester Sisters and Desert Rose Band.

In 2006, he became a partner in Three Ring Projects and was then named President of Sanctuary Artist Management-Nashville in 2009.

Dill is a longtime member of Leadership Music and is a member of the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. A graduate of American University with a degree in International Relations, Dill is also releasing his first novel that will debut this October.

In addition, Zac Koffler, a Belmont University graduate, will join Dill in Octagon Entertainment's Nashville office.

With over 60 combined years of major Hollywood talent agency experience, the Octagon Entertainment team has been responsible for the packaging and representation of more than 150 television series and specials, as well as major film and radio work.

Octagon, the inaugural winner of the "Sports Agency of the Year" Award by the Sports Business Journal, is the world's largest sports and entertainment representation and marketing agency with global expertise in consulting, athletes & personalities, event management, property representation, marketing solutions, licensing and merchandising and talent procurement.

As part of The Interpublic Group, one of the world's leading organizations of advertising agencies and marketing services, Octagon employs more than 80 people in 44 offices around the world. For further information please visit: www.octagon.com.