Randy Boyd, President of the University of Tennessee, joins Signature Required for a conversation about entrepreneurship, public service, and the role higher education plays in shaping the future of Tennessee. From starting businesses in his early twenties to serving in state government and now leading one of the state’s most important institutions, Randy reflects on the through line that has connected each chapter of his career: a belief that education creates opportunity.

Signature Required sits down with Vernon Shaw, Manager of Donor Relationships for Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, for a conversation about food insecurity, community care, and the complexity behind feeding thousands of families across the region. What many people think of as simply “passing out food” is actually a massive operation involving logistics, nutrition, volunteers, partner agencies, and strategic support across 46 counties in Middle and West Tennessee.

Signature Required sits down with Scott Peck, Executive Chef of Loveless Cafe, for a conversation about Southern cooking, culinary leadership, and what it takes to steward one of Tennessee’s most iconic restaurants. From biscuits and fried chicken to cast iron, kitchen culture, and the tension between tradition and innovation, Scott shares his journey from a nervous first interview to leading a Nashville institution. As Loveless celebrates 75 years, the episode explores the craftsmanship behind its famous food, the business discipline required to sustain a beloved brand, and the hospitality that keeps people coming back generation after generation.

Jack Daniel’s is one of the most recognizable brands in the world, but its story is deeply rooted in a small Tennessee town, generations of family legacy, and an uncompromising commitment to doing things the right way. From the Bethel House at the entrance of the Lynchburg distillery, Chris Fletcher, Vice President, Master Distiller, and Director of Distillery Operations, shares what it really means to steward a brand that produces every drop of its whiskey in Moore County, one of the smallest counties in Tennessee. The conversation explores how Jack Daniel’s balances tradition and innovation, why Tennessee whiskey is different, and how quality and consistency have carried the brand across nearly 160 years.

Signature Required sits down with CJ Centel, CEO of the Nashville Food Project, to explore food insecurity from a community and systems perspective. The conversation goes beyond emergency food aid to examine why hunger exists, how food deserts and food swamps shape neighborhoods, and what it takes to build long-term access to nutritious food.

Weather becomes personal when it’s happening over your neighborhood, at night, with kids asleep down the hall. Andrew Leeper, Director of Broadcasting for Nashville Severe Weather, explains why hyperlocal, calm, two-way communication matters more than hype when storms hit Middle Tennessee. He shares how a volunteer, donation-supported team built trust by serving first, why tone and clarity save lives during tornado warnings, and what parents, schools, and communities often misunderstand about severe weather, snow events, and preparedness. This conversation pulls back the curtain on the voices many Tennesseans rely on in the most stressful moments and shows how credibility, restraint, and care can turn information into real reassurance.

Public safety looks very different when you move past TV stereotypes and into real communities. Mark Davidson, District Attorney General for Tennessee’s 25th Judicial District, offers a candid look at what the justice system actually does and what it quietly carries. He explains why most of his work is not about locking people up, but about protecting communities, supporting victims, navigating limited resources, and making judgment calls in cases where the stakes are deeply human. From rural courtrooms to violent crime, mental health cases, and victim advocacy, this conversation explores how justice works in practice, why trust and confidence matter, and what Tennesseans often misunderstand about the people tasked with upholding the law every day.

Patrick Sheehan, Director of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, is one of the people most Tennesseans never see but rely on constantly. Drawing on decades of experience responding to disasters ranging from floods and tornadoes to pandemics and infrastructure failures, Patrick explains what emergency management actually looks like day to day, why preparation is mostly unglamorous and relational long before anything goes wrong, and how leadership, trust, and calm matter more than perfect plans. This conversation explores what government can and cannot do in a crisis, why community readiness and personal responsibility still matter, and what Tennesseans should understand about preparedness in a world where disasters are more frequent, more complex, and rarely look the way we expect.

Chief John Drake, Metro Nashville’s Chief of Police, joins us for a wide ranging conversation on leadership, trust, and what it actually means to serve a city that has changed dramatically over the last few decades. With nearly four decades in law enforcement and deep roots in Nashville, Drake shares how his early experiences shaped his view of policing, why community engagement is not a side project but a core pillar of public safety, and how MNPD thinks about precision policing, transparency, and crime prevention at the neighborhood level. We also talk candidly about moments that have tested the city and its first responders, the mental health toll of crisis leadership, and why the best policing today looks less like force and more like patience, presence, and accountability.

Screens are shaping childhood in ways most parents never connect until something feels off. Dr. Nidhi Gupta joins us for a clear, clinical conversation about screen safety, child development, and what she sees showing up in kids long before families realize technology may be playing a role. She explains why screens are often a symptom rather than the root issue, how device use affects sleep, hormones, behavior, and emotional regulation, and why fear based messaging misses the point. This conversation focuses on earlier awareness, healthier boundaries, and why prevention and education matter more than restriction in a world where screens are not going away.

Join us this week as we sit down with Rory and AJ Vaden, co-founders of Brand Builders Group. We talk about personal branding, entrepreneurship, and what it really means to build a meaningful business together. Tune in today!

This week, we sat down with Tasia Malakasis, CEO of The Company Lab, to explore her journey from tech executive to entrepreneur. She shares insights on Chattanooga’s startup scene, the importance of tenacity, and how The Company Lab supports mobility startups. Tune in today!

This week, we sit down with Lauren Clanton, Behavioral Specialist at Faith Family Medical Center, to dive into the key issues and opportunities influencing Nashville’s health landscape. We explore her work in community engagement, the importance of equitable access to resources, and the partnerships driving meaningful change across the city.

This week, we sit down with Mark Yancy, CEO of NashvilleHealth, to explore the challenges and opportunities shaping Nashville’s public health. We discuss access to healthier choices, how the city’s infrastructure impacts well-being, and the collaborative work needed to move Nashville forward.

Join us this week as we sit down with Joshua Haston, Development Manager at LDG Development, to unpack the challenges and solutions behind affordable housing. We explore how LDG builds stronger communities, navigates complex regulations, and supports working families—plus the human stories that show why this issue matters.

This week, we sit down with Glenn Cranfield, President & CEO of the Nashville Rescue Mission, to talk about how the organization has been serving Nashville’s homeless community since 1953, offering not just shelter, but hope, restoration, and faith-driven transformation.

This week, we sat down with Danny Herron, President & CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville, to talk about how the organization is building more than homes—creating stability through education, financial literacy, and community partnerships that strengthen Middle Tennessee.