Spence began his career in 1970 as assistant to his father, Kemmons Wilson, who was Chairman of the Board of Holiday Inns. Since that time, his primary focus has been in the area of real estate development and private equity investments. As President of Kemmons Wilson, Inc., Spence oversees the firm's diverse business interests including resort timesharing in Orlando, Florida; hotel development and management of several family brands including Holiday Inns and Hampton Inns; residential subdivision development and construction; and aviation services, including Wilson Air Center, the nation's top-rated Fixed Base Operation (FBO) for the past six consecutive years. He serves as a director of Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE: RF) and Bulab Holdings, Inc.; Trustee and Board Chair of Rhodes College; Director and Chair of the Thomas W. Briggs Foundation; a Trustee of Baptist Memorial Health Care System, Inc., a Director of Aqua Dynamics Systems, Inc., and a Member of Memphis Tomorrow. Spence, through a venture capital firm he established with a few friends, was an early investor in FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX). In 1995, he was inducted into the Society of Entrepreneurs and serves on that board. Spence was a command pilot in the Tennessee Air National Guard, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. He received a MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in economics from Vanderbilt University. |