 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 doctorate from the University of Miami School of Law in 1979.He is a senior trustee and was the chairman of the board of trustees of the University of Miami from 1999 to 2001.