Kenneth Lay Biography

Occup.Businessman
FromUSA
BornApril 15, 1942
DiedJuly 5, 2006
Aged64 years
Kenneth Lee Lay, born upon April 15, 1942 in Tyrone, Missouri, was an American businessman best recognized for his role in the Enron detraction. He grew up in a family members that battled to make ends fulfill. Regardless of the challenges, Lay was identified to be successful and also make a far better life for himself. Through hard work and also decision, Lay took care of to get degrees in business economics from the University of Missouri and the University of Houston, making a Bachelor's, Master's, as well as Ph.D

. In 1965, Lay signed up with the Exxon Corporation as an economic expert. He worked his means up the rankings, becoming posted as undersecretary for power in the Department of the Interior throughout the Nixon and Ford administrations. In 1981, Lay made a significant job modification by signing up with Houston Natural Gas (HNG), a local gas pipeline operator. Lay's leadership caused the merging of HNG with InterNorth, another pipeline firm, developing Enron in 1985. Lay became the CEO and chairman of the new company.

Under Lay's leadership, Enron evolved from a local gas pipeline business into an international energy leviathan. The company was involved in different facets of the energy market consisting of natural gas manufacturing, electricity generation, and energy commodities trading. Lay's aspiration and the deregulation of the power field in the United States paved the way for Enron to become a leading gamer in the sector. He additionally motivated innovation as well as a society of computed risk-taking within the firm.

However, Lay's aspirations came with an expense. Enron's fast expansion was improved a complex web of financial abnormalities, consisting of off-balance-sheet collaborations, which was orchestrated by his protege and also eventual successor, Jeffrey Skilling. These dubious economic practices hid losses and also pumped up the company's supply value, producing a residence of cards that eventually came crashing down in 2001.

The Enron detraction, which resulted in the biggest corporate bankruptcy at the time, resulted in countless staff members shedding their jobs and also retired life financial savings, along with capitalists shedding billions of bucks. The rumor likewise exposed a culture of greed, hubris, as well as moral collapse within the company. Lay, together with Skilling and various other Enron executives, was billed with fraudulence, conspiracy, and also expert trading.

In May 2006, complying with a four-year-long trial, Lay was condemned on 10 counts of scams, conspiracy, and also lying to financial institutions. He confronted 165 years behind bars. However, before he might be sentenced, Kenneth Lay died on July 5, 2006, at the age of 64 because of a cardiovascular disease while vacationing in Aspen, Colorado.

Lay is made it through by his spouse, Linda Phillips, whom he married in 1982, as well as their five children. Regardless of his early years of success and hard-earned regard in the business world, the Enron rumor and also Lay's role in it had an enduring effect on his heritage. The name Kenneth Lay will certainly forever be connected to among one of the most considerable scandals in the background of company America.

Our collection contains 31 quotes who is written / told by Kenneth.

Related authors: Jeffrey Skilling (Criminal), Lawrence Taylor (Athlete)

31 Famous quotes by Kenneth Lay

Small: I take full responsibility for what happened at Enron. But saying that, I know in my mind that I did no
"I take full responsibility for what happened at Enron. But saying that, I know in my mind that I did nothing criminal"
Small: Am I a fool? I dont think Im a fool. But I think I sure was fooled
"Am I a fool? I don't think I'm a fool. But I think I sure was fooled"
Small: Today, there are also buyers and sellers of all these energy commodities, just like there are buyers an
"Today, there are also buyers and sellers of all these energy commodities, just like there are buyers and sellers of food commodities and many other commodities"
Small: They cant do without electricity. They can do with less electricity
"They can't do without electricity. They can do with less electricity"
Small: Ive been a strong financial and political supporter of, first, President Bush Sr. when he was running f
"I've been a strong financial and political supporter of, first, President Bush Sr. when he was running for president, and even when he ran for president a time or two and failed"
Small: But indeed a market like California is not good for Enron
"But indeed a market like California is not good for Enron"
Small: Weve tried to get as much supply into California as we can
"We've tried to get as much supply into California as we can"
Small: The last thing I would have ever expected to happen to me in my life would be that, in fact, I would be
"The last thing I would have ever expected to happen to me in my life would be that, in fact, I would be accused of doing something wrong and maybe even something criminal"
Small: I have to take responsibility for anything that happened within its businesses
"I have to take responsibility for anything that happened within its businesses"
Small: Any slots at the senior level, including CEO or other slots, will be filled internally
"Any slots at the senior level, including CEO or other slots, will be filled internally"
Small: I have faith in the market when we get the rules right
"I have faith in the market when we get the rules right"
Small: We use competitive markets to arrange for delivery of our food supply
"We use competitive markets to arrange for delivery of our food supply"
Small: We dont break the law
"We don't break the law"
Small: There are absolutely no problems that had anything to do with Jeffs departure
"There are absolutely no problems that had anything to do with Jeff's departure"
Small: I dont think Im a criminal, number one
"I don't think I'm a criminal, number one"
Small: Our liquidity is fine. As a matter of fact, its better than fine. Its strong
"Our liquidity is fine. As a matter of fact, it's better than fine. It's strong"
Small: I mean, our primary businesses in wholesale pipelines, utilities, retail, were all doing extremely well
"I mean, our primary businesses in wholesale pipelines, utilities, retail, were all doing extremely well"
Small: Every market is in transition
"Every market is in transition"
Small: But I cant take responsibility for criminal conduct of somebody inside the company
"But I can't take responsibility for criminal conduct of somebody inside the company"
Small: But certainly I didnt know he was doing anything that was criminal
"But certainly I didn't know he was doing anything that was criminal"
Small: We see ourselves as first helping to open up markets to competition
"We see ourselves as first helping to open up markets to competition"
Small: Trillions of dollars every day are being exchanged around the world in all of the financial markets
"Trillions of dollars every day are being exchanged around the world in all of the financial markets"
Small: There are no accounting issues, no trading issues, no reserve issues, no previously unknown problem iss
"There are no accounting issues, no trading issues, no reserve issues, no previously unknown problem issues"
Small: The problems in California have been that its been very difficult to site and build new power plants
"The problems in California have been that it's been very difficult to site and build new power plants"
Small: Investors dont like uncertainty
"Investors don't like uncertainty"
Small: In the case of Enron, we balance our positions all the time
"In the case of Enron, we balance our positions all the time"
Small: But the most important thing is, Enron did not cause the California crisis
"But the most important thing is, Enron did not cause the California crisis"
Small: Well, rates would go up whether you deregulate or not, and of course, the rates that are going up right
"Well, rates would go up whether you deregulate or not, and of course, the rates that are going up right now on the electricity side are still within the regulated framework"
Small: We need someone who is a strong representative of our value system
"We need someone who is a strong representative of our value system"
Small: The transmission systems are still regulated
"The transmission systems are still regulated"
Small: Jeff knew full well what he was walking away from. Again, he needed to deal with this right away
"Jeff knew full well what he was walking away from. Again, he needed to deal with this right away"