Carlos Miguel Gutierrez was born November 4, 1953, in Havana, Cuba, and in 1960 his family fled to the United States. After living in Miami, Florida, and New York City, he moved with his family to Mexico. He studied business administration at the Monterrey Institute of Technology in Queretaro, Mexico.

In 1975, Gutierrez joined Kellogg Company as a sales representative. Throughout his career, he held various positions, moving up through the company. In 1998, he became President and chief operating officer for Kellogg, and a year later he became chief executive officer. In 2000, he became chairman of the board for the company. During his tenure at Kellogg, Gutierrez built a reputation as an innovative and efficient business leader with extensive international experience; he became one of the most prominent Hispanic business executives in the country. In 2004, President George W. Bush nominated Gutierrez to become the secretary of Department of Commerce. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on January 24, 2005. As secretary, Gutierrez worked to improve the U.S. economy by expanding global markets. He also served as an adviser to the President on U.S.-Cuban policy and immigration reform.