Meet our Founders
Congressman Bill Archer
On January 2, 2001, Bill Archer retired from the United States House of Representatives after a 40-year career of service to his nation in local, state, and federal government. While he will be remembered in part for his many legislative accomplishments, Archer’s reputation as a responsible, committed leader of the highest ethical standards leaves an enduring image of this Texas son. Congressman Archer served the 7th District of Texas since 1971 when he won the seat previously held by former President George Bush, who remained one of Archer’s constituents.
In January 1995, at the start of the 104th Congress, Archer became chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, a goal he had long sought to enable him to be the nation’s leader on taxes. He modeled his leadership after the late Wilbur Mills, restoring the Committee’s tradition of bipartisan lawmaking and frugal internal budget keeping.
On the eve of the 104th Congress, the Houston Chronicle wrote, “the prospect of having Representative Archer (as Chairman) bodes well for Houston and the nation. While Houston cannot expect “a windfall of pork or special tax breaks,” wrote The Chronicle, “even more valuable to the nation than Archer’s sound political instincts is his unsullied reputation for principled representation.”
Among his many accomplishments in the House of Representatives, Congressman Archer was a key player to get the 1997 balanced budget with tax relief signed into law. Scheduled to be balanced by 2002, this was the first balanced federal budget since 1969. Archer’s initiatives of easing the death tax, expanding IRAs, and providing a $500 per child tax credit for middle-income Americans are now law. He helped extend the life of Medicare for another ten years, and during the 104th Congress, he steered welfare and health care reform into law. He worked tirelessly to reduce fraud in Medicare, advocate for the long-term preservation of Medicare and Social Security, and pursue the expansion of free trade.
Upon entering Congress in 1971, one of Archer’s first acts was to create a student intern program for high school students from his district. The 30-year success of this program and the many lives it has touched, along with the interest in public service it has inspired, is a model for the Archer Fellowship Program that benefits students, alumni, and faculty from across The University of Texas System.
Congressman Archer received his B.B.A. and L.L.B. degrees with honors at The University of Texas at Austin. During his undergraduate and graduate studies in Austin (from 1946 to 1951), he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon social fraternity, Phi Delta Legal fraternity, the varsity tennis team, and was the champion intramural athlete in 1951. One of his most meaningful and significant accomplishments was to receive UT Austin’s Distinguished Alumnus Awards in 1981.
Congressman Archer is married to the former Sharon Sawyer. He has five children: Rick, Reyn, Sharon, Barbara, and Lisa; two stepsons, Scott and Shannon; and 24 grandchildren.
On January 2, 2001, Bill Archer retired from the United States House of Representatives after a 40-year career of service to his nation in local, state, and federal government. While he will be remembered in part for his many legislative accomplishments, Archer’s reputation as a responsible, committed leader of the highest ethical standards leaves an enduring image of this Texas son. Congressman Archer served the 7th District of Texas since 1971 when he won the seat previously held by former President George Bush, who remained one of Archer’s constituents.
In January 1995, at the start of the 104th Congress, Archer became chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, a goal he had long sought to enable him to be the nation’s leader on taxes. He modeled his leadership after the late Wilbur Mills, restoring the Committee’s tradition of bipartisan lawmaking and frugal internal budget keeping.
On the eve of the 104th Congress, the Houston Chronicle wrote, “the prospect of having Representative Archer (as Chairman) bodes well for Houston and the nation. While Houston cannot expect “a windfall of pork or special tax breaks,” wrote The Chronicle, “even more valuable to the nation than Archer’s sound political instincts is his unsullied reputation for principled representation.”
Among his many accomplishments in the House of Representatives, Congressman Archer was a key player to get the 1997 balanced budget with tax relief signed into law. Scheduled to be balanced by 2002, this was the first balanced federal budget since 1969. Archer’s initiatives of easing the death tax, expanding IRAs, and providing a $500 per child tax credit for middle-income Americans are now law. He helped extend the life of Medicare for another ten years, and during the 104th Congress, he steered welfare and health care reform into law. He worked tirelessly to reduce fraud in Medicare, advocate for the long-term preservation of Medicare and Social Security, and pursue the expansion of free trade.
Upon entering Congress in 1971, one of Archer’s first acts was to create a student intern program for high school students from his district. The 30-year success of this program and the many lives it has touched, along with the interest in public service it has inspired, is a model for the Archer Fellowship Program that benefits students, alumni, and faculty from across The University of Texas System.
Congressman Archer received his B.B.A. and L.L.B. degrees with honors at The University of Texas at Austin. During his undergraduate and graduate studies in Austin (from 1946 to 1951), he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon social fraternity, Phi Delta Legal fraternity, the varsity tennis team, and was the champion intramural athlete in 1951. One of his most meaningful and significant accomplishments was to receive UT Austin’s Distinguished Alumnus Awards in 1981.
Congressman Archer is married to the former Sharon Sawyer. He has five children: Rick, Reyn, Sharon, Barbara, and Lisa; two stepsons, Scott and Shannon; and 24 grandchildren.
Don Carlson
Don Carlson’s wide range of legislative, international, and political experience spans a 34-year Capitol Hill career. For 30 years, he worked for Congressman Bill Archer, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, representing Houston’s 7th Congressional District. Mr. Carlson served as his chief of staff from 1988 to 2001. He was Congressman Archer’s prime liaison with the members and staff of the Ways and Means Committee and the Joint Committee on Taxation. Prior to assuming that position, he was Congressman Archer’s legislative director, with responsibility for all of his legislative and committee work. His primary areas of concentration included taxation, trade, Social Security, and budgetary matters. In addition, he was Congressman Archer’s chief political advisor and liaison to Republican Party groups at the local, state, and national levels. In early 2001, Mr. Carlson served as chief of staff to Congressman John Culberson (TX-07). Prior to his service with Congressman Archer, he worked for former Congressmen Don Riegle and James Harvey, both of Michigan.
From March 2001 to January 2023, Mr. Carlson worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as managing director of tax policy services - legislative & regulatory services, where he brought his extensive Capitol Hill and international experience to the firm. Mr. Carlson’s significant global background includes representing Congressman Archer on international issues worldwide and service as a senior advisor to the United States-Asia Foundation, where he has led member and staff delegations to Asia. In addition, Mr. Carlson has been a member of the Congressional Staff Advisory Committee on International Trade Policy of the Council on Foreign Relations, a member of the Steering Committee for the Congressional Staff Forum on International Trade of Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, staff liaison for Congressman Archer to the U.S.-Asian Business Council, and staff liaison to the MERCOSUL Congressional Study Group for the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Mr. Carlson earned his Bachelor of Arts in international relations from the School of International Service at the American University in Washington, D.C. He served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve from 1970 to 1976.
He and his wife Julia have two sons, Eric and Scott. Julia is a former staffer for Congressman Archer and is a member of the Archer Center Advisory Board.
In addition to being chairman of the Archer Center Advisory Board, Mr. Carlson serves as chairman of the board of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society. He is also on the board of the Ripon Society and the Texas Lyceum Advisory Board.
Don Carlson’s wide range of legislative, international, and political experience spans a 34-year Capitol Hill career. For 30 years, he worked for Congressman Bill Archer, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, representing Houston’s 7th Congressional District. Mr. Carlson served as his chief of staff from 1988 to 2001. He was Congressman Archer’s prime liaison with the members and staff of the Ways and Means Committee and the Joint Committee on Taxation. Prior to assuming that position, he was Congressman Archer’s legislative director, with responsibility for all of his legislative and committee work. His primary areas of concentration included taxation, trade, Social Security, and budgetary matters. In addition, he was Congressman Archer’s chief political advisor and liaison to Republican Party groups at the local, state, and national levels. In early 2001, Mr. Carlson served as chief of staff to Congressman John Culberson (TX-07). Prior to his service with Congressman Archer, he worked for former Congressmen Don Riegle and James Harvey, both of Michigan.
From March 2001 to January 2023, Mr. Carlson worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as managing director of tax policy services - legislative & regulatory services, where he brought his extensive Capitol Hill and international experience to the firm. Mr. Carlson’s significant global background includes representing Congressman Archer on international issues worldwide and service as a senior advisor to the United States-Asia Foundation, where he has led member and staff delegations to Asia. In addition, Mr. Carlson has been a member of the Congressional Staff Advisory Committee on International Trade Policy of the Council on Foreign Relations, a member of the Steering Committee for the Congressional Staff Forum on International Trade of Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, staff liaison for Congressman Archer to the U.S.-Asian Business Council, and staff liaison to the MERCOSUL Congressional Study Group for the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Mr. Carlson earned his Bachelor of Arts in international relations from the School of International Service at the American University in Washington, D.C. He served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve from 1970 to 1976.
He and his wife Julia have two sons, Eric and Scott. Julia is a former staffer for Congressman Archer and is a member of the Archer Center Advisory Board.
In addition to being chairman of the Archer Center Advisory Board, Mr. Carlson serves as chairman of the board of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society. He is also on the board of the Ripon Society and the Texas Lyceum Advisory Board.
