Meeting Challenges and Creating Opportunities Spencer was born in Loachapoka. His parents moved to Auburn  before he was 3 years old. He was educated in the Auburn School  system (a Lee county school at the time), graduated from Alabama  Polytechnical Institute (now Auburn University), received a regular  commission in the U. S. Air Force, and was Auburn’s first Fulbright  Scholar. He attended Keele University in England, followed by two  years with the 406th Fighter Inceptor Wing. Upon his return from England, Spencer joined his father’s  Auburn business, E. L. Spencer Lumber Company. In typical  fashion, he strengthened the core foundation while also  expanding into Spencer Heating and Air Conditioning, Lee  Electrical Supply, Auburn Millwork, construction and real estate.  Spencer grew up on a farm and in 1980 he purchased his first  ranch in the Sandhills of Nebraska. It has expanded into a sizable  cow/calf operation.  He also crossed over from bank consumer to manager when he  joined AuburnBank’s board of directors in 1975 and was elected  chairman in 1980. During his tenure, Spencer steered the bank  from $25 million in assets to more than three quarters of a billion  dollars in assets. In-store branches were started in Kroger and  Wal-Mart, and full service, free-standing branches opened in  Opelika, Notasulga, Hurtsboro and the Valley.