The idea for Treasure Tower began in 1999 when President and Founder Kathy Ruggiero, from the Salt Lake City, Utah area, took her young sons to the dentist. Following their appointments, they eagerly headed to the “treasure box” to choose a prize, but as Kathy stepped closer to hurry them along, she was alarmed to see it filled with toys that were dirty, broken, and disorganized. In that moment, the idea for Treasure Tower was born — a better way to reward children that was cleaner, more exciting, more organized, and more memorable.
Kathy and her husband, Joe Ruggiero, spent the next year designing and developing what would eventually become the Treasure Tower® reward system. From engineering the Tower itself to creating the token-based reward concept, they worked tirelessly to turn a simple idea into a business that would bring smiles to children everywhere.
After successfully test marketing the first Treasure Towers in Utah, the response was overwhelming. Children loved the excitement of earning a token and choosing their own prize, while businesses appreciated the organized, sanitary, and fully managed reward system. It quickly became clear that this concept had the potential to succeed far beyond Utah.
That success led to the creation of the Treasure Tower Business Opportunity — giving independent business owners throughout the United States the ability to build a rewarding business in their own communities using a proven system with ongoing support.
Today, more than 25 years later, over 100 independent Treasure Tower business owners service thousands of Treasure Towers throughout the United States, rewarding more than 15 million children every year. What began in dental offices has expanded into children’s hospitals, medical offices, elementary schools, banks, dance and music studios, hair salons, restaurants, photography studios, and countless other kid-friendly environments where motivation and positive reinforcement matter.
The excitement of earning a token and redeeming it for a prize is universal. No matter the language, culture, or location, children everywhere respond with the same enthusiasm and joy. In addition to locations throughout the United States and Canada, Treasure Towers are also rewarding children in other countries including France, Mexico, Argentina, and Japan.
At Treasure Tower, our mission is about more than rewards. It is about helping people create a flexible, family-friendly business that provides recurring income, personal fulfillment, and the opportunity to positively impact thousands of children and families every single day.