Ken Lay isn't the only member of his family to make a name in Houston's business elite. Travel Agency in the Park, co-owned by his younger sister Sharon Lay, 56, took the No. 4 spot in the Houston Business Journal's 2001 ranking of woman-owned businesses. But Ken Lay didn't just set an example for his sister--his company sent lots of deals her way. From 1996 through 2000, Sharon Lay's company (renamed Alliance Worldwide in December) received $6.8 million in commissions from Enron travel, according to SEC documents. Enron commissions reportedly accounted for half the travel company's revenue.
While Enron's employees were...