615-645-0233
511 Union Street, Suite 1100, Nashville, TN, 37219,
Subjects: Agencies/Regulations, Alcohol, Appropriations/Budgets, Business/Commerce, Children/Family/Women, City/County Government, Civil Rights, Consumer Protection, Corrections/Criminal Justice, Education, Energy/Utilities, Environment/Recycling, Finance/Banking, Food/Restaurants, Gaming, Health Care, Housing/Real Estate/Development/Construction, Immigration, Insurance, Manufacturing, Medicare/Medicaid, Non-Profit, Pharmaceuticals, Planning/Land Use/Zoning, Privacy/Internet, Professional/Vocational Licensing, Public Safety, Public Sector, Retail, RFP/Procurement, Science/Technology, Taxes, Telecommunications, Tourism/Hospitality, Transportation/Vehicles
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.
4) Aunt Bertha, a Public Benefit Corporation d/b/a findhelp
5) BlackRock Funds Services Group, LLC
7) Campaign for Great Public Schools dba as City Fund Action
11) CHEEKWOOD BOTANICAL GARDEN AND MUSEUM OF ART
13) Cognia
14) Communities In Schools of Tennessee
15) CooperSurgical
16) Critical Nurse Staffing, LLC
17) Curriculum Associates, LLC
23) Esper Regulatory Technologies Inc.
24) FACT
26) Fisk University
27) Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee, Inc.
29) Greater Nashville Regional Council
31) Jackson Madison County School System
32) Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee
33) Kleo, Inc. d/b/a ClassWallet
34) Knox County
36) Koch Government Affairs, LLC and Affiliates
38) Lorraine Civil Rights Foundation dba National Civil Rights Museum
40) Maximus, Inc.
41) Memphis Brooks Museum of Art Inc
42) Memphis Shelby Crime Commission
43) Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority
44) Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare
45) Nareit
46) Nashville Soccer Holdings, LLC
48) PathGroup
49) PayIt, LLC
51) Possip, Inc.
53) Salesforce, Inc.
55) SH Advisors LLC
57) Southeastern University, Inc
58) Southern College of Optometry
59) STV Incorporated
60) SWVP NYards Services Company LLC
61) Tech901
62) Tennessee Charter School Center
65) TN Development District Assn
66) Uptown Property Holdings LLC
67) WASTE MANAGEMENT
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.
Tony is an attorney and policy expert with extensive experience in legislative strategy, budget development, and executive branch operations. He has shaped major state initiatives and advised senior state government leaders across a range of high-impact issues. From 2019 to 2023, he served as Policy Director for Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, where he developed landmark proposals in education, tax, healthcare, and workforce development. His leadership produced several major legislative wins, including the Tennessee Works Tax Act, the Education Savings Account program, and the TennCare III waiver. His role in the administration expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic when he led federal and multi-state relations, while also managing the distribution of more than $6 billion in federal relief through the state's Financial Stimulus Accountability Group.
4) Alliance Healthcare Services, Inc.
5) Aunt Bertha, a Public Benefit Corporation d/b/a findhelp
6) BlackRock Funds Services Group, LLC
9) Campaign for Great Public Schools dba as City Fund Action
14) Cognia
15) Communities In Schools of Tennessee
16) Critical Nurse Staffing, LLC
17) Curriculum Associates, LLC
22) Esper Regulatory Technologies Inc.
23) Fisk University
25) Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee, Inc.
26) Greater Nashville Regional Council
28) Jackson Madison County School System
29) Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee
30) Kleo, Inc. d/b/a ClassWallet
31) Knox County
33) Koch Government Affairs, LLC and Affiliates
35) Maximus, Inc.
36) Memphis Brooks Museum of Art Inc
37) Memphis Shelby Crime Commission
38) Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority
39) Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare
40) Nareit
41) Nashville Soccer Holdings, LLC
43) PathGroup
44) PayIt, LLC
46) Possip, Inc.
48) Salesforce, Inc.
50) SH Advisors LLC
52) Southeastern University, Inc
53) Southern College of Optometry
54) STV Incorporated
55) SWVP NYards Services Company LLC
56) Tech901
57) Tennessean's for Quality Early Education
58) Tennessee Charter School Center
60) Tremco CPG Inc.
61) Uptown Property Holdings LLC
62) WASTE MANAGEMENT
Tony Niknejad is a distinguished policy strategist and government relations expert, skilled in the areas of legislative advocacy, fiscal management, and strategic planning. Tony assists clients with navigating the Tennessee political landscape, orchestrating policy and legislative initiatives, and steering comprehensive advocacy and public engagement campaigns. From 2019 to 2023, he was the Policy Director for Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, serving as a key advisor and leader for the Governor's Cabinet and leading many of the Administration's major policy reforms. As policy director, Tony also played a critical role in Governor Lee's successful 2018 campaign and post-election transition. Tony spearheaded key policy initiatives across a wide span, specializing in education, workforce, tax and healthcare policy.
