Carlos Gutierrez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carlos Gutierrez
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Official portrait, 2008
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| 35th United States Secretary of Commerce | |
| In office February 7, 2005 – January 20, 2009 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Donald Evans |
| Succeeded by | Gary Locke |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Carlos Miguel Gutiérrez
November 4, 1953 Havana, Cuba |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Edilia Gutierrez |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, Querétaro |
Carlos Miguel Gutierrez (born November 4, 1953) is an American businessman and former government official. He was once the top leader (CEO) of the famous Kellogg Company. Later, he served as the 35th United States Secretary of Commerce for the U.S. government. This important role helps American businesses grow and trade with other countries.
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Early Life and Moving to the U.S.
Carlos Gutierrez was born in Havana, Cuba. His family owned a pineapple farm there. When he was six years old, his family had to leave Cuba. This was because of the Cuban Revolution. They moved to the United States in 1960 and settled in Miami.
His father later got a job in Mexico. Carlos learned his first English words from a hotel worker. After some years, Carlos and his family became U.S. citizens.
Carlos studied business at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education in Mexico. He did not finish his degree. This makes him one of the few U.S. Cabinet members without a college degree.
Working at Kellogg Company
Carlos Gutierrez started working at Kellogg's in Mexico in 1975. He was 22 years old. He began as a sales person and management trainee. One of his first jobs was driving a delivery truck to stores.
He quickly moved up in the company. By 1990, he was a vice president. In 1999, he became the president and CEO of Kellogg's. He was the youngest CEO in the company's history. He was also the only Latino CEO of a Fortune 500 company at that time.
When Carlos became CEO, cereal sales were slowing down. He had a plan called "Volume to Value." This meant focusing on selling products that made more money. Examples include Special K and Nutri-Grain bars. The extra money helped pay for advertising and research. This plan helped Kellogg's grow. In 2004, Fortune Magazine called him "The Man Who Fixed Kellogg."
Becoming Secretary of Commerce
In November 2004, President George W. Bush chose Carlos Gutierrez to be the Secretary of Commerce. This is a very important job in the U.S. government. The Senate approved him, and he started the job in February 2005.
As Secretary of Commerce, Carlos Gutierrez worked on many important things. He helped with U.S. policy toward Cuba. He also worked with Congress on new laws for immigration. He believed that securing borders was important. He also thought about how immigrants help the economy.
He played a big part in trade agreements. These included the CAFTA-DR and the Colombia Free Trade Agreement. These agreements help American businesses sell more goods to other countries. He also led a special trip to the Gulf region after Hurricane Katrina to help businesses there.
After His Government Role
After leaving his job as Secretary of Commerce in 2009, Carlos Gutierrez continued to be active. He became a scholar at the University of Miami. He also joined the university's board of trustees. He served on the boards of several large companies, like Occidental Petroleum and Corning.
He also became a television news contributor for CNBC. In 2010, he said he enjoyed his government job more than business. He liked that every day was different as Secretary of Commerce.
Carlos Gutierrez also got involved in politics again. In 2012, he helped create a group called Republicans for Immigration Reform. This group wanted to change immigration laws. In 2016, he supported Hillary Clinton for president. In 2020, he supported Joe Biden.
Family Life
Carlos Gutierrez is married to Edilia Gutierrez. They have three children: a son named Carlos Jr., and two daughters, Erika and Karina.
See also
- List of foreign-born United States Cabinet members
