UT Dallas to host former Enron executive

The University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) will host former Enron Corporation vice president and key whistleblower Sherron Watkins as a guest speaker.

Watkins will be giving the Andrew R. Cecil Lecture to discuss how important it is to speak out against organizational practices that are unethical.

“You have very few opportunities to see the window into someone’s soul,” Watkins said. “And issues always appear rather minor. Part of the lesson is that you can’t rationalize bad behavior, and you’re not supposed to blow off those minor things.”

The Enron scandal, which occurred in 2001, completely wiped out $74 billion worth of investments by shareholders and also led to the bankruptcy of the Houston energy company. Watkins was the one who told Ken Lay, former Enron CEO, about the financial report irregularities.

“They’re really kicking themselves for the moral stance they took in speaking truth to power,” Watkins said. “The problem is they are comparing their current situation with their life before the ethical challenge landed on their desk. They compare the two as if the ethical challenge never happened — which is a false comparison.”

Watkins was named among the 2002 Persons of the Year by Time, with two other whistleblowers.