|| Lobbylinx||

Full Profile

STEPHEN SUSANO

Edit Profile

Recommend this Lobbyist

STEPHEN SUSANO

(Tennessee, )

Stones River Group

stephen.susano@stonesrivergroup.com
615-645-0233
511 Union Street, Suite 1100, Nashville, TN, 37219,

Stephen Susano is the Co-Founder and COO of Stones River Group, a Nashville-based public affairs firm serving both Tennessee, regional and national clients. He provides clients with strategic counsel on business opportunities and project management, regulatory matters, procurement, economic development, third-party engagement, and market positioning. Stephen leverages his lengthy private-sector experience and deep network of relationships with business leaders and key policymakers in state and local government across Tennessee to deliver solutions for clients in multiple industries.

1) Acadia Healthcare

2) Advantage Capital

3) Alliance Healthcare Services, Inc.

4) Alzheimer's Association

5) Aunt Bertha, a Public Benefit Corporation d/b/a findhelp

6) BlackRock Funds Services Group, LLC

7) BusPatrol America LLC

8) Campaign for Great Public Schools dba as City Fund Action

9) CG of Tennessee LLC

10) CHEEKWOOD BOTANICAL GARDEN AND MUSEUM OF ART

11) Client Network Services, LLC

12) CMH Services Inc.

13) Communities In Schools of Tennessee

14) Critical Nurse Staffing, LLC

15) Curriculum Associates, LLC

16) DELTA DENTAL OF TN

17) DGA Residential LLC

18) Energy Systems Group, LLC

19) Ernst & Young LLP

20) Family First, Inc.

21) FFF Enterprises, Inc.

22) Geographic Solutions, Inc

23) Graduation Alliance, Inc

24) Greater Nashville Regional Council

25) Ingram Barge Company LLC

26) INGRAM INDUSTRIES, INC.

27) Joe C Davis Foundation

28) Knox County

6-10 years

Stephen Susano is the Co-Founder and COO of Stones River Group, a Nashville-based public affairs firm serving both Tennessee, regional and national clients. He provides clients with strategic counsel on business opportunities and project management, regulatory matters, procurement, economic development, third-party engagement, and market positioning. Stephen leverages his lengthy private-sector experience and deep network of relationships with business leaders and key policymakers in state and local government across Tennessee to deliver solutions for clients in multiple industries.

Prior to Stones River Group, Stephen served as Executive Director of the Tennessee Business Partnership (TBP), an advocacy organization supported by many of the state's leading enterprises. He spearheaded its efforts to advance pro-business policies, including education and judicial reforms, to encourage job growth and economic development. In 2014, Stephen led the statewide "Vote Yes on 2" campaign in support of the Judicial Selection Amendment to the Tennessee constitution. Stephen built a broad coalition of business groups, trade associations, legal advocates and community leaders in favor of the amendment. This coalition's successful mobilization helped ensure the amendment was approved with overwhelming support, carrying 94 out of 95 counties in Tennessee

Prior to working in the public affairs space, Stephen had an extensive career in the financial services industry. He served in operating and business development roles for several investment advisers and asset management firms. He has consulted with and raised capital for both U.S. and foreign-based investment firms, and has negotiated distribution and trading agreements with multiple financial services companies. Through his work, Stephen navigated complex regulatory regimes in domestic and offshore jurisdictions

Stephen grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee and currently lives in Brentwood with his wife, Ana. He and Ana have four children. Stephen serves on the board of the Nashville Downtown Partnership.

Full Profile

CHRIS GOBBLE

Edit Profile

Recommend this Lobbyist

CHRIS GOBBLE

(Tennessee, )

Stones River Group

chris.gobble@stonesrivergroup.com
615-645-0233
511 Union Street, Suite 1100, Nashville, TN, 37219,

Chris Gobble is a respected government affairs specialist with deep issue expertise and a broad base of policymaker and stakeholder relationships. He leverages his insights into the state General Assembly, Tennessee executive branch, and local governments to help SRG clients navigate complex political challenges and effectively advance meaningful policy solutions. Prior to joining SRG, Chris served as senior director of public policy for the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and was the legislative and policy director for the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security under Governor Bill Haslam.

0-5 years

Chris Gobble is a respected government affairs specialist with deep issue expertise and a broad base of policymaker and stakeholder relationships. He leverages his insights into the state General Assembly, Tennessee executive branch, and local governments to help SRG clients navigate complex political challenges and effectively advance meaningful policy solutions.

Prior to joining SRG, Chris served as senior director of public policy for the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, where he helped drive policy changes and facilitate government affairs efforts for 2,000 businesses representing over 180,000 employees. He also regularly and effectively collaborated with local, state, and federal elected officials to advance Chattanooga's status as a leader in education, workforce, and economic development.

Prior to Gobble's tenure in Chattanooga, he was the legislative and policy director for the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. In this role, Gobble worked closely with Governor Bill Haslam's office and the state legislature to develop and implement a variety of public policy initiatives.

Originally from Bradley County, Chris earned a B.A. in Political Science and Communications from Lipscomb University. He and his wife Sarah live in Nashville.

Full Profile

MARK CATE

Edit Profile

Recommend this Lobbyist

MARK CATE

(Tennessee, )

Stones River Group

mark.cate@stonesrivergroup.com
615-645-0233
511 Union Street, Suite 1100, Nashville, TN, 37219,

Mark Cate is the Founder and President of Stones River Group, a Nashville-based public affairs firm serving both Tennessee, regional and national clients. He formerly served as Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam's chief of staff, where he was his top advisor, strategist and negotiator.

1) Acadia Healthcare

2) ACT, INC.

3) Advantage Capital

4) Alliance Healthcare Services, Inc.

5) Alzheimer's Association

6) Aunt Bertha, a Public Benefit Corporation d/b/a findhelp

7) BlackRock Funds Services Group, LLC

8) Blount Partnership

9) BusPatrol America LLC

10) Campaign for Great Public Schools dba as City Fund Action

11) Catapult Learning

12) CG of Tennessee LLC

13) CHEEKWOOD BOTANICAL GARDEN AND MUSEUM OF ART

14) Client Network Services, LLC

15) CMH Services Inc.

16) Cognia

17) Communities In Schools of Tennessee

18) Critical Nurse Staffing, LLC

19) Curriculum Associates, LLC

20) DELTA DENTAL OF TN

21) DGA Residential LLC

22) Edmentum

23) Empower Schools

24) Energy Systems Group, LLC

25) Ernst & Young LLP

26) Family First, Inc.

27) FFF Enterprises, Inc.

28) Geographic Solutions, Inc

29) Graduation Alliance, Inc

30) Greater Nashville Regional Council

31) Ingram Barge Company LLC

32) INGRAM INDUSTRIES, INC.

33) Joe C Davis Foundation

34) Junior Achievement of East Tennesse

35) Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee

36) Knox County

37) Knoxville Zoological Gardens Inc.

38) Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC and Affiliates

39) Koch Government Affairs, LLC and Affiliates

40) L3Harris Technologies

41) Liminex, Inc dba GoGuardian

42) Livanova

43) Lorraine Civil Rights Foundation dba National Civil Rights Museum

44) MARK43 INC

45) Maximus, Inc.

46) Memphis Brooks Museum of Art Inc

47) Memphis Shelby Crime Commission

48) Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority

49) Merit International Inc

50) Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare

51) Nashville Soccer Holdings, LLC

52) PathGroup

53) PayIt, LLC

54) Salesforce, Inc.

55) SAS Institute Inc.

56) SH Advisors LLC

57) Skinny Labs Inc. (dba Spin)

58) Southern College of Optometry

59) STV Incorporated

60) Tech901

61) Tennessee Charter School Allies

62) The Adoption Project

63) The Coalition for Better Health

64) The United Company

65) TN Development District Assn

66) Uptown Property Holdings LLC

67) WASTE MANAGEMENT

68) Wolf River Harbor Holdings, LLC

69) YMCA of Memphis and the Mid-South

6-10 years

I have been recognized by the Nashville Post list of In-Charge: Government & Politics for 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022

Our firm was recognized nationally by the Public Relations Society of America for our comprehensive public affairs campaign to bring Major League Soccer to Nashville

Mark Cate is the Founder and President of Stones River Group, a Nashville-based public affairs firm serving both Tennessee, regional and national clients. He formerly served as Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam's chief of staff, where he was his top advisor, strategist and negotiator.

During his tenure with the Haslam Administration, Mark led several legislative policy initiatives, including K-12 education reform, workers' compensation reform, civil service reform, an alternative approach to Medicaid expansion, and postsecondary education reform, including the nationally-acclaimed Tennessee Promise program.

Prior to serving in state government, Mark successfully managed Governor Haslam's first gubernatorial campaign in 2010, which led to a record-setting general election victory. He previously worked as an executive in real estate management and development and served for 16 years as a higher education leader. Over the course of his career, Mark has served as a chief development officer, chief planning officer, chief marketing officer, and as a chief financial officer�working on budgets ranging from $10 million to $30 billion.

Mark grew up in Maryville, TN and currently lives in Brentwood with his wife Cathy who serves as the Executive Director of Leadership Tennessee. He and Cathy have two daughters, Bailey who is a recent graduate at Rhodes College and currently serves as a fellow at the Crop Trust in Bonn, Germany; and Abbie who is rising junior at George Washington University.

Cate received a B.S from Carson-Newman College, an M.S from the University of Tennessee, and Harvard University's Institute for Educational Management certificate program. He's served on a wide variety of non-profit boards and was an elected member of the Maryville Board of Education.