Dear Mr. Lay:  In this trying time of second-guesses and angry shareholders, I wanted to let you know that I have appreciated working for you and share a quick story of how you shaped my view of Enron and the corporate world in general.
My second rotation as an associate was to write speeches for the Office of the Chairman.
Generally, I was creating presentations for Jeff Skilling, but I did create a couple for you as well.
The one I remember best was for the speech at Astro Hall for the Houston Energy Conference where we announced Enron Online.
Not only did you let me lead the internal roundtable (I remember sitting at the table, trying to keep my composure as Greg Whalley, Dan Leff, Louise Kitchen and others asked specifics about the slides I created), but you also (generally) agreed with my answers and thanked me for a job well done.
That night, I shared a bottle of champagne with my wife and truly believed I could do anything!!
So, as far as I am concerned, you have done a tremendous job.
Everything happening now is unfortunate.
It happened on your watch and thus is partly your responsibility.
But you have stepped up to the plate, most likely saved more jobs than lost, and been accountable in more ways than one.
Being a leader in good times and in bad, and more importantly affecting the lives of your employees on a personal basis, are truly attributes that I hope to continue in my lifetime.
I just wanted you to know that you have truly made a difference in one man's career.
And I feel all the better for it.
My prayers go to you and your family.
Best regards,

You Did a Good Job