On Dec. 25, 2025, Lee Archer, founder of New Wave Enviro Products (Greenwood Village, CO), died at his home in Colorado at age 83.
Archer founded New Wave Enviro in 1993 alongside his friend and business associate, Leigh Caudill. Together, they were guided by a simple and powerful vision: to provide clean, healthy drinking water solutions to homes across America through the emerging natural and health foods retail channel.
New Wave Enviro’s products include reusable water bottles, water dispensers, stainless steel lunchboxes and water filters.
Archer was known for sharing stories about the company’s early days. One of the most notable was when he personally delivered New Wave Enviro’s first wholesale order to a Wild Oats Market in Boulder, CO. From there, the business grew—driven by integrity, innovation and a deep commitment to environmental responsibility, the company said.
To ensure the company would continue upon its path, the Archer family took a significant step in 2022 by transitioning New Wave Enviro to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Today, New Wave Enviro is 100 percent employee-owned and operated—a lasting reflection of Archer’s belief in “people, purpose and long-term stewardship.”
“We remain committed to honoring Lee’s legacy by continuing to deliver the quality products, values, and service you have come to expect from New Wave Enviro. Thank you for being part of our journey and for supporting the mission that Lee started more than three decades ago,” the company wrote.
A memorial service will be held in Englewood, CO.
For more information, visit www.newwaveenviro.com.
