Carlos de la Cruz

Carlos M. de la Cruz, Sr. is a Cuban-American businessman.

De la Cruz was born in Havana, Cuba. He attended the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, earning a BS in 1962 and an MBA in finance in 1963. He earned a law degree from the University of Miami in 1979 but has never practiced law. He was formerly chairman of UM's board of trustees. With UM English professor Robert Antoni, he co-edited "The Archipelago", a collection of stories and poems about the Caribbean.

References

He has 5 children: Isabel, Alberto, Carlos, Alina, and Rosa. He also has 16 grandchildren among them are Alberto, Alejandra, Sophia, Felipe, Carolina, Lorenzo, Sami, Dani and Ileana
* [http://www.miami.edu/miami-magazine/fall99/cruz.html "Cruz Control"] , "Miami Magazine", Fall 1999

Carlos M. de la Cruz, Sr. is Chairman of the Board of CC1 Companies, Inc. which includes Coca-Cola Puerto Rico Bottlers, and CC1 Beer Distributors, Inc., and is a director of Coca-Cola Trinidad & Tobago. The companies together employ 1,700 people and have annual sales of approximately $600 million.

Mr. de la Cruz, Sr. received his high school diploma from Phillips Academy, Andover in 1959; a Bachelor of Science in Economics as an accounting major, and a Master of Business Administration as a finance major 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.

He is a Lifetime Trustee and was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Miami from 1999 through 2001. From 1993 to 1995 was Chairman of the Board of Directors of United Way of Dade County and Campaign Chairman in 1991. In the past he has served 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.

He has received the Alexis of Tocqueville Award from the United Way; the Silver Medallion Brotherhood Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews; the Distinguished Service Award from Florida International University; the Joseph Wharton Award from the University of Pennsylvania; the Social Responsibility Award from the Urban League; the Simon Wisenthal Foundation Award; the Presidential Medal from Georgetown University; the Lawyers in Leadership Award from the Center for Ethics & Public Service of the University of Miami; the New American Award from Catholic Charities Legal Services; and the Humanitarian Award from American Red Cross.

His hobbies include deep sea fishing and collecting contemporary art (the couple owns one of the 200 top private art collections in the world).

Born in Havana, Cuba, he has also lived in New York City and Madrid, Spain, and has been a resident of Miami, Florida, since 1975. He and his wife, Rosa, have been married since 1962 and have five children and sixteen grandchildren.

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