Phillip Herrera

Phillip Herrera

Now entering my 30th year of practice (yes, I started when pagers were still cutting-edge), my focus remains simple: helping businesses secure innovative yet practical government incentives that align with their goals. I work with clients ranging from mid-sized companies to Fortune 1000 giants across sectors like semiconductors, life sciences, and clean energy.

My true passion is helping California companies capture the funding and incentives they need to grow jobs and drive capital investment here at home. Over the years, I’ve specialized in three of the state’s most impactful programs:

• ETP – workforce training funds
• CAEATFA – Sales & Use Tax Exclusion (STE)
• CCTC – California Competes Tax Credit

I’ve successfully negotiated more than 750 ETP awards spanning dozens of industries, including several valued at over $375M. But what I’m most proud of is this: my clients have contractually agreed to “Grow California” by creating thousands of new jobs and investing over $200M in workforce training.

Working with an associate firm, we’ve also secured more than $175M in CAEATFA STE funding for manufacturing and R&D clients. This program is one of California’s best-kept secrets, offering a 100% exemption from state and local sales/use tax. Since 2010, only 230 companies have received CAEATFA STE awards—so yes, it’s a pretty exclusive club.

Outside of work, I keep myself busy (and slightly sore) with golf, yoga, surfing, and family activities. I was recently inducted into the Stockton Mexican Sports Hall of Fame, I swim from Alcatraz to Aquatic Park every year (on purpose), and I still hold the Brookside Country Club scoring record with an 11-under-par 61. (My friends are still deciding whether to congratulate me or demand I take up bowling instead.)

Academically, I hold both an Accounting degree and an MBA, and early in my career I cut my teeth in government tax accounting roles—where I learned the rules well enough to help my clients navigate (and maximize) them today.