Jordan Mintz
Jordan H. Mintz | |
|---|---|
| Occupation(s) | Corporate attorney, executive |
| Known for | Managing Director of Corporate Tax at Enron, Enron whistleblower |
| Notable work | Testimony before Congress on Enron transactions |
Jordan H. Mintz is a corporate attorney and executive, recognized for his tenure as Managing Director of Corporate Tax at Enron and for acting as a whistleblower amid the Enron scandal.
Early life and education
Mintz earned a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree from New York University School of Law, a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Boston University School of Law, and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) from the University of Pennsylvania.
Career
Beginning his career at Enron in 1997, Mintz held the position of Vice President for Tax at Enron North America. Between October 2000 and November 2001, he advanced to Vice President and General Counsel for Enron Global Finance.
Presently, Mintz serves as Vice President and Chief Tax Officer at Kinder Morgan Energy Partners. His professional background also includes senior tax leadership roles at Centex (now PulteGroup), Bracewell, and Exxon Corporation.
Role as an Enron whistleblower
Upon transferring to Enron’s Finance Department, Mintz uncovered serious concerns regarding the company’s business dealings and sought advice from external legal experts.
In 2000, he drafted a memorandum addressed to CFO Andrew Fastow that exposed questionable "sweetheart" arrangements favoring Fastow, preceding whistleblower Sherron Watkins’ memo by three months. Mintz flagged issues related to improperly leveraged partnerships and suggested corrective measures.
In 2002, he provided testimony before Congress outlining his initiatives to secure adequate executive oversight of Enron’s transactions, including efforts to engage former CEO Jeff Skilling.
SEC issues
On March 28, 2007, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) initiated a civil lawsuit against Mintz, accusing him of participating in fraudulent activity in 2001 concerning Enron's repurchase of a loss-generating Brazilian power plant from a partnership overseen by former finance chief Andrew Fastow. Mintz’s attorney, Christopher Mead, declared that Mintz intended to strongly dispute these allegations, emphasizing his involvement in managing the Fastow-Enron relationship.
The SEC’s action came as a surprise given Mintz’s earlier standing as a whistleblower and regarded "hero" during the Enron crisis.
In 2009, Mintz resolved the matter without admitting guilt. He agreed to a two-year prohibition from practicing securities law, paid $25,000 in penalties, along with $1 in disgorgement. He was reinstated to securities law practice in 2011.
Personal life
Mintz is a father of five children: Evan, Ally, Andrew, Carly, and Benjamin. Notably, Evan was named a Pulitzer finalist for editorial writing at the Houston Chronicle in 2017.