Carlos de la Cruz

Carlos M. de la Cruz Sr. is a Cuban-born American businessman, the chairman of CC1 Companies, Inc. which include Coca-Cola Puerto Rico Bottlers, CC1 Beer Distributors, Inc., Coca-Cola Bottlers Trinidad & Tobago, and Florida Caribbean Distillers, LLC. The companies together employ 2,500 people and have annual sales of $1 billion. Early life Born in Havana, Cuba, he also lived in New York City and Madrid, Spain, and has been a resident of Miami, Florida, since 1975. De la Cruz received his high school diploma from Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts, in 1959; a bachelor's degree in economics, an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, in 1962 and 1963; and a juris doctor from the University of Miami School of Law in 1979. Career He is a senior trustee and was the chairman of the board of trustees of the University of Miami from 1999 to 2001. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. From 1993 to 1995 he was chairman of United Way of Dade County, and campaign chairman in 1991. He has been on the boards of Georgetown University, Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, Florida International University, the Dade Foundation, the Business Assistance Center, and Miami Partners for Progress.