Phil Cates

Phil Cates is a 32+ year veteran of state and federal elective knowledge and is known for his true salt of the earth grassroots lobbying successes in the state.

Phil Cates’ noted success comes from serving 8 years in Texas House and has since dedicated his professional life to that of public policy and advocacy covering Texas and 11 other states. He lobbied and saw the amendment of the Texas Constitution for Texas business and also lobbied for workers compensation reform. His expertise in public affairs campaigns and coalition building has allowed him to be recognized as one of the top “go to” lobbyist, in the state of Texas.

Cates was raised in the small Texas Panhandle town of Lefors, Texas. Less than a year after his graduation from West Texas State University, Phil was elected to the Texas House of Representatives and served four terms from 1971 to 1979.

While in the legislature he was a member of the Texas House Appropriations Committee which drafted an $18.6 billion budget and served as Vice Chair on the Committee on Human Resources and the Business and Industry Committee.

Phil lobbied nine years for Tenneco, Inc. under former Texas House Speaker Byron Tunnell, lobbied for the Texas Association of Business in Austin for two years and for Capital Consultants with former Texas House Speaker Billy Clayton for seven years, before founding Texas Stakeholders.

pcates@texasstakeholders.com

Anastasia K. Semos

Anastasia “Tasie” Semos is a 38 year veteran of State and Community legislative and elective experience and is known for her political and community foresight in solving problems.
Tasie’s noted success comes from serving with State Representative and Dallas County Commissioner Chris V. Semos, her husband, throughout Dallas County, Texas, the national and international levels standing for the Texas “can do” approach to all things political. She ranges from critical involvement in local and statewide campaigns to being a hostess in Dallas for foreign visitors since 1970. She began the effort to establish a teen court in Dallas County. She was instrumental in introducing Sunset High School to Electronic Data Systems as a corporate adopter of the school.

Semos worked along side her husband garnering state legislative and community support for the Dallas transit system, DFW Airport, toll roads, the University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas Baptist University, Parkland Hospital, abused and neglected children state wide, and funding for church and private Universities throughout Texas. No one did more for Texas tourism in the State than Chris and Tasie as is highlighted and documented in the establishment and execution of the Texas Sesquicentennial celebration.
While Semos is professionally and personally close to local, state, national and international office holders, she also ran the family restaurant and created a line of frozen Greek food which has been featured in Neiman Marcus. This blending of both private and public activism strengthens Tasie to achieve goals for her clients few lobbyists have the experience or talent to realize. She is in the inner workings and part of the mind set of people in all levels of government, business and community. She has been an active member of the Texas House of Representatives Legislative Ladies Club since 1966. She served as an officer of this organization which includes spouses of all 150 Texas House Members. She was President of the Texas Restaurant Association’s Ladies Auxiliary and continues to be a member.

An Emory University graduate with a degree in the sciences, Semos has taught in both public and private schools where she sponsored the Environmental Club at Sunset High School and Chaired a program for the Dallas PTA Arts Magnet School. She served on the Board of the Friends of Fair Park and presently serves on the Dallas Appraisal District Board. Tasie raised three accomplished daughters. They are planning to continue the guided international tours for Texans which always include Greece on the itinerary.

aksemos@sbcglobal.net

David Romo

David Romo, a seventh-generation Texan, grew up in a family with deep political roots in San Antonio and Bexar County. David’s family has been involved in politics for about 100 years. His mother, a former member of the Texas House of Representatives, is the current Tax-Assessor Collector of Bexar County. His uncle is the President of the University of Texas at San Antonio.

In addition to his Bexar County political ties, David brings a valuable background in state government. Having worked in the Texas legislature for over 10 years, he served as a legislative assistant to four State Representatives and one State Senator. Over the years, David has become very experienced at negotiating with legislators, constituents, and other interest groups in helping steer bills through the legislature.

Complimenting his legislative career, David has been involved in over ten political campaigns at the local, state, and federal levels. He is proud of the fact that every candidate he has ever backed and helped has won elective office. Many of these same candidates now serve in the legislature.

David’s diverse experiences in Texas government and political affairs allow him to provide a valuable insight into the inner workings of Texas state government. He was briefly mentioned in a Texas Monthly article featuring the Texas Senate.

David was born and raised in San Antonio and he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1991.