DST Advisory Group provides
advisory services to companies claiming
Research Tax Credits in the United States.
Get all the credit you deserve
Boost your business with
R&D Tax Credits
What we do
We understand specific industries and technologies. We offer a competitively priced RTC claim deliverable that offers a high degree of success under IRS examination. Our interactions with client operations are credible, knowledgeable and non-intrusive. We strive to offer these core values to ensure our “relationship driven” spirit can continue forward.
About DST
DST Advisory Group offers advisory services to companies claiming Research Tax Credits (RTCs) in the United States. DST helps our clients structure a technically credible claim, while maximizing their credit entitlement. DST has nationwide experience with various IRS offices, allowing for quick integration of reporting requirements and best practices as part of our advisory services.
Industries we serve
Automotive
Parts and components manufacturing, fuel efficiency technologies, composite materials, EV battery technologies
Industrial Machinery & Equipment
Tooling, fixture or clamping design, precision machinery, prototyping, molding, stamping
Contract Manufacturing
Design to build, 3D modelling, programming (PLC, CNC, SCADA), machining techniques
Food Science Technology and Processing
Recipe formulation, product development, shelf-life, cleanliness methods, scale-up processes
Pulp and Paper
Wastewater treatment technologies, environmentally friendly technologies, pulp screening technologies
General Manufacturing
Automation, material selection, new designs, engineering changes, re-engineering designs, process development
Chemicals & Plastics
New applications for product, injection tooling design, material selection, high volume parts, weight reduction, process development for high volumes
Biotechnology / Medical Device
NPD, device hardware prototyping, pre-clinical or clinical trials, FDA or regulatory changes
Our Team
Our exceptional team of accounting professionals, technical engineers and scientists provides our clients with a vast amount of collective knowledge. This is complemented by a wide range of technical expertise that includes, but is not limited to: manufacturing, chemicals, mechanical, software, food formulation, electronic, robotics, biological sciences, biotechnology, mining, pulp and paper, and environmental.
Most of the information required for the Research Tax Credit (RTC) claim comes from the client’s engineering team. It is critical to have seasoned engineers and scientists with deep R&D experience, not accounting staff, working directly with your operations team. Our engineers apply their knowledge of R&D to discussions with your engineering team to ensure a more complete capture of qualifying activities.
Diane Stogiannes
President & Partner
Diane has over 15 years of experience in R&D Tax Credits, servicing Clients in both Canada and the United States. She has worked primarily with large multinational based companies to successfully claim and defend R&D Tax Credits. Diane holds a Bachelor of Science (Honors) in Chemistry, a certification in Metallurgy – Iron & Steelmaking, and holds a patent in the field of Structural Engineering. She is a recognized subject matter expert by her peers and has presented at national R&D Symposiums, as well as at a number of National and Local Tax Executive Institute (TEI) events.
Todd Sutherland
Vice President & Partner
Todd has over 20 years experience advising clients on developing sustainable Research Tax Credit claims. Prior to DST Advisory Group, Todd held leadership positions within the Research Tax Credit practices of KPMG, Arthur Andersen, and Braithwaite Global Inc. He also served as an executive and was on the board of an environmental remediation company. Todd received his Bachelor of Business in Accounting from Millsaps College, his J.D. from Mississippi College and his LL.M. in taxation from the University of Miami.
Chuck Badics
Director of Business Development
Chuck has over 15 years experience in compliance and taxation. He worked for 10 years at Thomson Reuters, focusing on corporate taxation. Chuck moved to a role as a corporate consultant helping accounting firms improve efficiency and profitability. At ADP Chuck worked extensively with large public accounting firms to help their clients with matters of taxation, employee benefits and insurance. Chuck graduated from Central Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science degree.
Janet Schmidt
Director of Business Development
Janet is responsible for new business development and key account management. Janet has over 20 years in client relationship management. She began her career at Arthur Andersen and has since been in business development and client service roles in IT and finance serving clients in a variety of industries including energy, oilfield services, manufacturing, distribution, utilities, automotive, waste management, and insurance. Janet holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bryan College.
Kyle Clark
Sr. Engineer
Kyle has over 15 years of professional experience in an extensive range of fields that include oil and gas, commercial diving, utilities engineering, manufacturing, quality, and product development. Kyle has worked as a Production Engineer with General Motors and GM’s Red X Group as a Technical Problem Solver. He later joined GM’s Warren Technical Center as a Lead Engineer for Global Audio Systems. Kyle worked in academia as a Research Assistant in the Faculty of Engineering, cited on a number of published research papers. Kyle has his BASc. in Mechanical Engineering.
Cynthia C. Tirso
Sr. RTC Manager
Cynthia received her Masters in Legal Studies from Washington University in St. Louis’ School of Law. She also obtained her M.B.A. in Marketing and B.S. in Health from Texas A&M University. She has worked in specialty tax consulting for nearly 5 years, utilizing her skills to analyze data, quantify expenditures, and substantiate an excess of 250 R&D Tax Credits in Federal and numerous state jurisdictions. She leverages existing client financial and technical data to develop comprehensive fact and data-based analyses in conjunction with a thorough legal understanding of the Internal Revenue Code, specifically Sec. 41, to deliver high-quality, substantiated R&D engagements to decrease client tax liability and increase innovation in the US.
Tyler Palmer
RTC Associate
Tyler Palmer is well versed with tax returns, tax filings and reporting requirements. He has a Bachelor of Accountancy and Finance from California State University, Fullerton. Prior to joining DST, he worked as an Experienced Enterprise Accountant at UHY, LLP in Farmington Hills, MI. Tyler has also worked as a Staff Accountant at BDO US, LLP in Costa Mesa, CA.
Bilal Ghazipura
Jr. RTC Engineer
Bilal is an experienced Design Engineer, and has worked with manufacturers to design new products. He has been the lead engineer in various design and development based projects, focusing on design integration and testing for new products. In addition, he has assisted in product development and process implementation activities. Bilal has strong technical writing experience, having authored various instructional documents and owner manuals. He has a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from Mercer University.
Gabriel Callier
Jr. RTC Engineer
Gabriel has his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alabama, with a focus in automotive design. He has professional experience in a range of fields including, automotive manufacturing, continuous improvement, Audio engineering and product development. Specially, he has worked with Ford Motor Company as a Design & Release Engineer, with Harman International as a Mechanical Applications Engineer, and with Ideal Group in the Engineering department in Sales & Product development.
Connect with DST Advisory Group
Michigan Office
One Northwestern Plaza
28411 Northwestern Highway, Suite 840
Southfield, Michigan 48034
Texas Office
13100 Northwest Freeway, Suite 340
Houston, Texas 77040
Corporate Office
320 W. Main Street
Lewisville, Texas 75057
Office: 832-320-2200
Toll Free: 877-214-8920
