Think Tank

TEDxSMU wants you to rethink prison, media and rock-and-roll

Have you ever wondered about slow-motion cinematography, the search for Genghis Khan's tomb or how to become the CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Maybe you just want to hear from a real-life "Hin-Jew" (self-assessed term of endearment for being half-Hindu, half-Jewish).

Either way, TEDxSMU has something for you. Actually, it has something for most people. The real question is, will you get a ticket?

TEDxSMU has something for most people. The real question is, will you get a ticket?

Now in its fourth year, TEDxSMU is opening the ticket pool to the general public for the all-day event December 1 at Dallas City Performance Hall. For $150, attendees will be treated to intellectually stimulating presentations from 9 am to 6 pm with food and libations aplenty.

Speakers ranging from SMU students and professors to Klaudia Oliver, an "ambassador of the cultural zeitgeist," will delight and inform the audience. The one-day annual conference is a joint production between SMU and Dallas IdeaSpace with a mission to promote "ideas worth spreading." This year's theme is re:Think.

If you have a soft/curious spot for prisons like I do, then you'll want to hear from speaker Jeremy Gregg, who won his spot through the open-audition process October 19.

Gregg will present the topic "re:Thinking prisons" and examine the fact that the United States' incarceration rate is higher than any other country in the world. His central question: How can we rethink the prison system from being merely a place of incarceration to becoming a platform for rebuilding lives and communities?

Tickets can be purchased while supplies last or through November 9, whichever comes first.

Money News

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

E. SUN Bank

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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