Our Story
The American Dream Come True
The family business that George Halages founded in his garage in Roanoke, VA, in 1997 is now a recognized national leader in consulting, engineering, and manufacturing of precision rubber components.
In the beginning, George and his small team faced 20-hour workdays, years without paychecks, and credit card debt. They persevered. Sales grew as Archer gained loyal customers in a wide range of industries. They turned their first substantial profit in 2009, just as the recession started. George leveraged the downturn by purchasing several competitors who were failing. This strategic investment positioned Archer for exponential growth when the economy rebounded in late 2010.
More than a decade later, our continued success has attracted a highly trained team of engineering, sales, manufacturing, quality control, and customer service professionals; all focused on building long-standing relationships with satisfied customers.
Management Team
George Halages
Founder & CEO
A proud graduate of Virginia Military Institute, with a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, George started his career as a Business Unit Manager with a global leader in motion and control technology. His extensive experience in developing engineered solutions for customers, proven management skills, and entrepreneurial vision inspired him to found Archer. When he isn't at work, George enjoys hunting, fishing, outdoor activities, and traveling with his family.
"We've built a strong team of dedicated professionals who take pride in ensuring our parts add value to our customers' products. Although we have the engineering and manufacturing capacity to compete with much larger companies, we strive to maintain a family culture. There is no red tape, decisions are made immediately, and everyone has the opportunity to share suggestions to improve our processes"
Tony Long
President
Tony was awarded a Master of Business Administration degree by the University of Notre Dame and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering at Clemson University. He brings decades of experience in high-level positions with leading manufacturers to his role as General Manager. Tony focuses on continually improving our processes and products by integrating advanced technologies and business management strategies. He likes to spend his leisure time with his family on the water and in the field.
"We are a customer-focused, purpose-driven organization. We utilize innovative manufacturing abilities and excellent technical material knowledge to create and enhance fully customized products. Our engineering team is passionate about finding solutions for even the most complex applications."
Troy Scott
Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing
Troy holds a Master of Business Administration degree from William Woods University and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Marketing from Missouri Valley College. With extensive experience through sales and sales leadership positions within the industry, he dynamically guides our sales team to help our customers achieve their business objectives. When he isn't working, Troy and his wife enjoy traveling and watching his two sons play baseball on travel teams.
"It is critically important that we listen and work closely with our customers to understand and address their ever-changing needs and fluctuating market conditions with an attitude of flexibility and collaboration. We must provide solutions that accommodate changes and challenges for the continued success of our customers and our company."
Sales Team
Andy Flores
Regional Sales Manager
Andy attended Louisiana State University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Business/Marketing from Nicholls State University. A member of the Archer sales team for 15 years, he is our Senior Sales Manager. Andy has an impressive track record as a trusted liaison between our customers and our engineering and manufacturing teams.
"I'm never more than 15 steps away from getting an answer thanks to the hands-on involvement of our owners. As the voice of the customer, our sales team is responsible for prompt, accurate, and comprehensive communications."
Mark Quaiser
Northeast Regional Sales Manager
Mark has more than 20 years of valuable experience serving customers with a commitment to innovative problem solving. He enjoys spreading the word about Archer's broad range of products and capabilities. His goal is to partner with the customers and help them grow their business profitably.
"I love the culture here at Archer. Everyone has a such a positive attitude; we all want the company and our customers to succeed."
Brandon Tyler
Regional Sales Manager
Brandon has nearly 20 years of experience working with and finding solutions for manufacturers. He serves Archer customers in the southwestern United States.
"I enjoy building relationships with customers and helping find solutions to their challenges."
Ricardo Ewald
Sales Representative
Ricardo serves customers in South Texas and Mexico. Based in the U.S., but working extensively in his native Mexico, Ricardo has many years of experience representing some of the world's leading rubber and sealing manufacturers.
"I want to build strong personal and professional relationships among our companies and customers, offering them great, high-quality products, strong support for all their projects and requirements, as well as excellent customer service."
Ricardo Fernandez
Sales Representative
Ricardo is based in Mexico. As an industrial engineer with more than 20 years of experience in international industrial sales, Ricardo brings Archer customers a wealth of knowledge and expertise.
"I love collaborating with the Archer team and working with seals, which are one of my favorite products!"
Customer Service
Sandy Gregory
Customer Service Manager
For more than a decade, Sandy's friendly voice has provided customers with confidence that their orders are being managed at each step with their best interests at heart. As manager of our customer service team, she is also a member of our parts management review team and a vital liaison between the sales and production teams.
"I've been pleased to see how our customer base has grown. Customers tell me they choose to work with us because we've proven to them that we will do EVERYTHING we can to provide them with a product of value."
Danielle Whedbee
Customer Service Representative
Danielle brings over 20 years of experience in customer service and sales to her position. She is an integral part of our service team, supporting customers with answers and updates throughout their projects. She focuses on building and maintaining exceptional customer relations through timely and productive communications.
"Our customers tell me they appreciate our honesty, excellent products, and our efforts to make sure they are completely happy."