Company surprises employees with $10 million in bonuses at holiday party

BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJW) - One of the largest commercial real estate firms in the Mid-Atlantic will pay a surprise $10 million bonus to all 198 of its employees.

The announcement was caught on video.

St. John Properties said the surprise was to celebrate the company's goal of developing 20 million square feet of office, flex/RD&D, retail and warehouse space in eight states, according to a press release.

The workers will be paid based a bonus based on their years of service, with the average employee receiving $50,000.

“To celebrate the achievement of our goal, we wanted to reward our employees in a big way that would make a significant impact on their lives,” said company founder and chairman Edward St. John. “I am thankful for every one of our employees, for their hard work and dedication. I couldn’t think of a better way to show it.”

The bonus will be on top of the company's annual year-end bonus and other benefits.