Power Profile: Sen. David Schatz
To call the Missouri Senate President Pro Tem a family man, would be an understatement. Sen. David Schatz (R-District 26, Sullivan) and his wife, Chara, have five children all with first names that begin with the letter “D” – David, Daniel, Devon, Dana and Dailee. He is Delighted with them, and with his new job as leader of the Missouri Senate.
When the kids were younger, and before running for the legislature, Schatz spent years volunteering his time helping kids as a coach and mentor. He got involved in the educational system, too, as a member of the Spring Bluff District School Board.
In 2011, he ran for a seat in the Missouri House and was elected and re-elected to a seat representing his hometown of Sullivan. In 2014, incumbent senator Brian Nieves decided not to run for re-election. It appeared that former House Speaker Tim Jones might run for that seat, but when he declined, Schatz jumped into the race and enjoyed an overwhelming victory over his general election opponent.
Schatz won re-election to the Senate last fall and within days of that election was selected by his colleagues to be the Senate President Pro Tem.
When he entered the legislature, Schatz became a key player on bolstering funding for transportation. He’s been an advocate for enacting legislation to prevent the production of methamphetamines. Sen. Schatz was supportive of SB 564 as a way to update Missouri's energy regulations and help the state's investor-owned utilities modernize the electric grid, particularly one section of the new law that helps contractors get pre-authorized to bid on energy grid projects.
Back home, he has started and operated several businesses in his community. He is vice president of Schatz Underground, Inc. and serves on the board of directors for the Bank of Sullivan, a post he had held since 2011. He is a 1982 graduate of Sullivan High School, and a life-long resident of the Sullivan and Spring Bluff area. He is an active member of Temple Baptist Church where he formally served on the board and currently serves as a deacon and a teacher.