Rom – Ferengi male
Grand Nagus of Ferenginar, in exile
Deep Space Nine, Bajoran Sector

Rom’s career started humbly, working for his brother Quark and raising his son Nog alone, after his first wife abandoned him for a richer Ferengi. His traditional quest for profit never seemed to lead him to wealth. At the bar, he waited tables, served drinks and food, and most importantly, repaired anything that needed fixing, revealing his true talents lay in the engineering/mechanical field. A bout with ear illness resulted in learning about Earth-style labor unions, and he led the bar employees in forming a union, in violation of all Ferengi beliefs but displaying leadership potential. From there, he joined the station crew, working as an engineering technician, and encouraged his son Nog to join Starfleet.

He also fell in love with Leeta, one of Quark’s beautiful dabo girls. It took him a long time to pluck up his courage and admit his feelings for her — to find that she had been harboring similar feelings for him. They were married in the midst of war. During the Dominion occupation, he worked covertly with the new resistance, and was captured and nearly executed.

Ultimately, in the closing days of the Dominion War, former Grand Nagus Zek decided that Ferenginar needed a new kind of leader, and chose Rom. Rom returned to Ferenginar with his wife, and set about trying to change a world. Unfortunately, the world wasn’t quite ready for change, and he and Leeta barely escaped a coup.

Because his wife is a Bajoran national, Bajor welcomed him back, and allowed him to set up a Ferengi government in exile on the station. The Federation has been less accommodating, perhaps feeling it is not their place to interfere in the governing of Ferenginar, or perhaps for darker reasons.