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.
2) ACT, INC.
4) Alliance Healthcare Services, Inc.
6) Aunt Bertha, a Public Benefit Corporation d/b/a findhelp
7) BlackRock Funds Services Group, LLC
10) Campaign for Great Public Schools dba as City Fund Action
13) CHEEKWOOD BOTANICAL GARDEN AND MUSEUM OF ART
14) Client Network Services, LLC
16) Cognia
17) Communities In Schools of Tennessee
18) Critical Nurse Staffing, LLC
19) Curriculum Associates, LLC
22) Edmentum
23) Empower Schools
30) Greater Nashville Regional Council
36) Knox County
37) Knoxville Zoological Gardens Inc.
38) Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC and Affiliates
39) Koch Government Affairs, LLC and Affiliates
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
50) Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare
51) Nashville Soccer Holdings, LLC
52) PathGroup
53) PayIt, LLC
54) Salesforce, 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
63) The Coalition for Better Health
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.
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
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.
3) Alliance Healthcare Services, Inc.
5) Aunt Bertha, a Public Benefit Corporation d/b/a findhelp
6) BlackRock Funds Services Group, LLC
8) Campaign for Great Public Schools dba as City Fund Action
10) CHEEKWOOD BOTANICAL GARDEN AND MUSEUM OF ART
11) Client Network Services, LLC
13) Communities In Schools of Tennessee
14) Critical Nurse Staffing, LLC
15) Curriculum Associates, LLC
24) Greater Nashville Regional Council
28) Knox County
29) Knoxville Zoological Gardens Inc.
30) Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC and Affiliates
31) Koch Government Affairs, LLC and Affiliates
33) Liminex, Inc dba GoGuardian
34) Livanova
35) Lorraine Civil Rights Foundation dba National Civil Rights Museum
36) MARK43 INC
37) Maximus, Inc.
38) Memphis Brooks Museum of Art Inc
39) Memphis Shelby Crime Commission
40) Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority
41) Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare
42) Nashville Soccer Holdings, LLC
43) PathGroup
44) PayIt, LLC
45) Salesforce, Inc.
47) SH Advisors LLC
48) Southern College of Optometry
49) STV Incorporated
50) Tennessee Charter School Allies
52) Uptown Property Holdings LLC
53) WASTE MANAGEMENT
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.