Spencer J McCarthy, 57 and married with two children, left school without any qualifications at the age of 16. He began his working life as an apprentice carpenter at his father’s company, McCarthy & Stone, and went on to set up his own housebuilding business with his brother Clinton in 1994. Originally called Emlor Homes building stone and thatched cottages, the brothers renamed the company Churchill Retirement Living in 2003 to focus on the retirement housing market. With Spencer as its Chairman & CEO, Churchill is now a well-established and award-winning business. It has built and continues to manage 230 developments in desirable locations across the UK with all its retirement communities managed and run by Churchill Estates and Management (formerly Millstream Management). Drawing on his 38 years' experience in the retirement sector, Spencer takes a hands-on role in driving the strategy and growth of the Churchill businesses, with special responsibility for land, planning, design, sales and marketing. Based in Ringwood, Hampshire, close to where Spencer grew up, Churchill remains a family-run, privately-owned company, now employing over 700 staff across the country in 5 regional offices. Churchill recently won Best Retirement Home Developer Gold at the What House? awards 2023 and was voted a Top 10 employer in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2023.