Houston Spencer was elected commander of the Centennial Legion of Historical Military Commands at their annual meeting in Boston, MA, November 19, 2010. He is a member of the Old Guard of the Gate City Guard of Atlanta Georgia where he was a past Commandant with the rank of Colonel and a member of the Sumpter Guards of Charleston, SC. He assumed command of the Centennial Legion aboard the USS Constitution in Boston harbor.
Houston Spencer joined the Atlanta Black Tie Club in October of 2009 and is the official photographer for the club. He is a life time native of the state of Georgia and resides in Marietta. He graduated from Gordon County High School in Calhoun, GA. He attended Reinhardt College and graduated from Georgia State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree.
He entered the US Army and was commissioned at Fort Belvior, VA, as a 2nd Lt. in the Corps of Engineers. He served in Viet Nam with the 20th Engineers where he ran two rock quarries used for roads and asphalt paving. He earned the Bronze Star for meritorious service and obtained the rank of Captain. He joined the Georgia State Defense Force where he served as the Assistant Engineer Officer at the State HQ with the rank of Major.
Houston is a member of the Military Order of Stars and Bars, an organization of descendants of the Confederate Army Officer Corps, dedicated to the preservation and education of the memory of their ancestors. He received the Viet Nam Service medal from the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
Houston worked in the construction industry for over 20 years. Before retiring, he was the SE Regional sales manager of P&P ARTEC, a manufacturer of stainless steel railing systems for the commercial building industry. He is a member of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) with the professional designation of Construction Document Technician (CDT). He served as chairman on many committees at the local chapter, regional and institute levels. He was recognized for his service and leadership with numerous awards.
Houston has one daughter, a son-in-law and three grandchildren. He ran the Peachtree Road Race for 28 years, climbed Half Dome in Yosemite National Park five times, and an active bicyclist on the Silver Comet Trail for 12 years.