In 1927 Obert C. Tanner began a business in the basement of his mother’s home. As an educator, Tanner believed students deserved more than a diploma to mark their graduation. He began selling class rings and pins throughout northern Utah and later manufactured his own. In the 1940s Tanner recognized the need for companies to reward their employees with tangible, lasting memories of their accomplishments and began providing awards to corporate America. Today the company’s core business is employee recognition.