After graduation, he worked for American Energy Capital Corporation and for Exxon, before launching his own company, Hilcorp Energy Company in 1989. His company has grown exponentially over the years, and he bought out his partner, Thomas Hook, for $500 million in 2003. Most recently, he made a $1.4 billion sale to Marathon Oil. He owns multiple oil fields in Alaska, shale in Ohio, and was able to give all of his employees, a $50,000 bonus in 2010. He regularly donates to Houston area artistic organizations, and also to the Republican Party. He sits on the boards of multiple energy organizations all around the south.
