WHY THIS SESSION MATTERS

If you design, improve, or iterate on products or processes, there’s a strong chance you qualify for the federal R&D Tax Credit and manufacturing innovation incentives —and possibly state credits too. Yet many manufacturers under-claim (or don’t claim at all) because they assume they don’t “do R&D,” the rules feel opaque, or they lack the right documentation trail.T ariffs grab headlines, but they’re only one piece of the sourcing puzzle.

In this focused session, you’ll learn how manufacturers of all sizes uncover eligible activities hiding in plain sight—process engineering, prototyping, tooling trials, software for production, quality improvements, and more—so you can turn everyday innovation into real cash savings and reinvest in growth.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

Here are just some of the reveals we will share:

  🔹 What actually qualifies: A plain-English walkthrough of the IRS four-part test and common qualifying activities in job shops, contract manufacturing, and OEM environments.

  🔹 Eligible costs to track: Wages, supplies, subcontractors—what counts, what doesn’t, and how to organize it without creating admin burden.

🔹 Documentation that works: Practical ways to build your “narrative + numbers” package (time tracking alternatives, project storyboards, trial logs, ECOs, and QC data).

🔹 How to partner with your CPA: Roles, responsibilities, and how to reduce the lift for your finance team while improving audit readiness.

🔹 State credits & multi-year strategy: Why an annual, repeatable approach compounds benefits and avoids last-minute scrambles.

🔹 Risk management: Red flags to avoid and how to prepare for questions confidently.

MEET CASS GIBSON

While there is no specific degree or college curriculum for specialty tax applications like

cost segregation, Section 179D and R&D Credits, Cass Gibson came as close as

possible to developing one; he studied engineering with a minor in business. This

included taking 300-level Taxation, a class normally reserved for third year Accounting

majors, as an elective. Additionally, he has owned multiple businesses and commercial

properties for over 20 years. Cass truly understands the "magic" of depreciation and

other tax incentives.

Cass earned the prestigious Chartered Financial Consultant® designation and brings

that knowledge to property owners. He continues working with property owners for

years after a study to help them maximize tax benefits. He believes in the value of

relationships and relies upon referrals for nearly all of his new business.

MEET AL LENAC

Al Lenac helps manufacturers translate day-to-day innovation into tangible financial outcomes. As Founding Member at Manufacture Results (2021–Present), Al serves as a connector for leaders who want to focus their energy on building and improving while aligning finance, operations, and goals to “manufacture results.”

Previously, as Director of the Mid-Atlantic Region at Intrepid Advisors LLC (2015–2020), Al specialized in helping companies and their CPAs understand federal and state R&D rules, identify qualifying activities, and calculate credits—building a track record of double-digit annual growth and ~90% client retention. He also served as Manufacturing Evangelist at NJMEP, matching New Jersey manufacturers to services spanning HR, sales/marketing, operations (e.g., lean, energy savings), leadership, and finance (including R&D credits and M&A).

Al’s earlier career includes sales, product, and engineering leadership roles at Ingersoll Rand, GGB Bearing Technology, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, and others—giving him a hands-on understanding of production realities, applications engineering, and the commercial side of manufacturing. That end-to-end perspective is why his sessions resonate with both shop floor and C-suite.

THE PROGRAM

0:00–0:03 | Welcome & framing — What most manufacturers miss about the credit

0:03–0:10 | Qualifying activities — Real-world manufacturing examples

0:10–0:25 | Costs & documentation — The “narrative + numbers” package

0:25–0:40 | Repeatable annual process — Roles for Ops, Eng, and Finance

0:40–0:50 | Risk & readiness — Avoiding pitfalls and staying audit-confident

0:50–1:00 | Q&A + next steps — Templates, checklists, and action plan

FREE BONUSES

🔹 R&D Eligibility Quick-Scan Worksheet (spot qualifying projects fast)

🔹Documentation Starter Pack (time-saving templates & examples)

🔹Manufacturing Activities Cheat Sheet (40+ shop-floor examples)

🔹Invitation to a complimentary 30-minute SV+ Impact Session to assess your eligibility and next steps

🔹Antifragile Friday invite for ongoing manufacturing leadership insights