Born in Milan, Italy, Cecchi graduated from the University of Milan in 1955 with a Masters in Professional Engineering. In 1960 he came to the United States to scout real estate investments for the Italian firm Societa’ Generale Immobilare (SGI). SGI’s initial venture in the Washington Metropolitan Area was the now famous “Watergate” project on the Potomac. In 1975 Mr. Cecchi left SGI to form the first IDI Group Company.