Best Boss Ever

Texas billionaire gives $100,000 holiday bonus to every employee

Jeff and Mindy Hildebrand at the Camp for All event September 2014

Jeffrey and Mindy Hildebrand.

Photo by Anthony Rathbun

Is Jeffrey Hildebrand the best boss ever? The Houston billionaire who owns Hilcorp, the largest privately held oil company in the United States, recently gave each of his 1,381 employees a $100,000 holiday bonus.

Forbes notes that such largess is a tradition at Hilcorp. When the company doubled its oil and gas production five years ago, he gave every employee either $35,000 cash or a voucher worth $50,000 toward a new car.

The latest reward came for doubling the company's output again since 2010 even during the recent downturn in the oil business. Amounts are reported to be prorated according to how long employees worked at the company over the past five years.

It's no wonder Hilcorp has been named to the Fortune list of 100 Best Companies to Work For three years in a row. Hildebrand, 56, ranks No. 73 on Forbes list of 400 Richest Americans, with a net worth of $6.3 billion.

Earlier this year, Hildebrand and his wife, Mindy, pledged $10 million to the Houston Parks Board in support of its Bayou Greenways 2020 project through their Hildebrand Foundation.

The couple also made news a two years ago when they opened a drive-through donut shop in River Oaks. "I felt like I wanted to provide the neighborhood with donuts," Mindy told CultureMap on the first day of business. "It's as simple as that. There was a need so we are providing a service."

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E.Sun Bank from Taiwan opens first location in buzzy Dallas market

Courtesy

E. SUN Bank

There's a new bank in town: E.Sun Bank, a financial institution from Taiwan, has opened a representative office in Dallas, at 2323 Ross Ave #730 — becoming the first Taiwanese bank in the city.

Founded in 1992, E.Sun Bank is one of Taiwan’s leading financial institutions, known for its customer-centric approach, digital innovation, and commitment to sustainability, with a growing international footprint in 35 locations across 11 countries.

The Dallas office is the second E.Sun location in the U.S. following Los Angeles, expanding its footprint to serve Taiwanese, Asian, and U.S. enterprises.

It marks Phase 1 of E.Sun’s Dallas expansion, with plans to offer full banking services — including corporate and commercial lending, trade finance, real estate project loans, and cross-border advisory support — after they receive regulatory approval to operate as a U.S. branch. In the interim, clients will be referred to E.Sun’s Los Angeles branch, ensuring seamless service continuity and responsive support for businesses navigating international growth.

A press release notes that Dallas is riding "unprecedented momentum," leading the nation in corporate headquarters relocations and business expansions in recent years. (The release even credits CultureMap Dallas for this declaration, making this absolutely one of the best press releases ever sent out in the history of PR.)

Fueled by a pro-business climate, a surge in tech sector investment, and the launch of the Texas Stock Exchange, the region has become a magnet for international capital — including major commitments from Taiwanese companies such as GlobalWafers, Foxconn, Wistron, and Inventec.

To celebrate the opening of its Dallas office, E.Sun hosted a gala event on October 30 which was attended by Chairman Huang, Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Moreno, Director General Yvonne Hsiao of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston, members of the Greater Dallas Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce, and representatives from both U.S. and Taiwanese enterprises. The evening culminated in a cultural performance by the E.Sun choir, symbolizing the bank’s commitment to bridging cultures as well as economies.

The Dallas office complements the recently launched Taiwan Trade and Investment Center and reflects the deepening partnership between Taiwan and Texas, a relationship further reinforced by record-setting bilateral trade — totalling $25.6 billion in 2024 — and the launch of a direct Taipei-Dallas flight, which underscore the growing ties between the two economies. And let's not forget Taiwan concepts like Chicha San Chen, the Taiwanese tea chain that recently opened a location in Carrollton, where it's drawing lines around the block.

“Our new Dallas office is more than geographic expansion—it’s a commitment to powering the economic synergy between Taiwan and Texas,” says E.SUN Financial Holding Company chairman Joseph Huang. “As the region attracts global capital and innovative industries, we are proud to serve as both catalyst and cornerstone for the next era of U.S.-Asia partnership, supporting Taiwanese enterprises and facilitating mutually beneficial investments.”

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