Until the giant American energy company Enron collapsed, and its director Kenneth Lay was imprisoned, his life had been a model of the American dream of rising from rags to riches on the strength of merit and hard work. His beginnings were socially and financially very modest. He was born in Tyrone, Missouri, in 1942, as the son of a preacher who was also a part-time salesman. He helped his father make ends meet by cutting grass and delivering papers. His start in the energy industry seemed similarly modest. After obtaining a doctoral degree in economics from the University of Houston, he got his start in the booming Texan oil industry. In 1985 he merged Houston Natural Gas with InterNorth of Nebraska in order to form Enron. As Enron became stronger, Mr Lay turned increasingly to politics and was one of the biggest donors to the Bush-Cheney campaign. After Mr Bush entered the White House, Mr Lay had hopes of a seat in the cabinet, perhaps as energy secretary or even at the Treasury. However, for reasons that remain unclear, Mr Bush overlooked him, so his professional life ended in frustration.