|
About Kevin Plank
Kevin Plank,
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Under Armour, Inc.
Kevin Plank launched Under Armour (NYSE: UA) in 1995 during his time as a student
at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, and as special teams captain for the
University of Maryland football team.Tired of repeatedly changing the cotton T-shirt
under his jersey as it became wet and heavy during the course of a game, he set
out to develop a next generation shirt that would remain drier and lighter and consistently
perform under the most extreme conditions.
Upon delivering the 2005 commencement address, Mr. Plank encouraged students
to give back to the university: “Protect this house. This is our school, our house.”
With the global success of Under Armour, Mr. Plank has donated many generous gifts
to further the success of the Smith School, including yearly contributions to hold
the Cupid’s Cup Business Competition in conjunction with the Dingman Center for
Entrepreneurship. Additionally, Mr. Plank contributed to the Smith Entrepreneur
Fund, a $175,000 fund dedicated to furthering the studies and skills of students
associated with the Dingman Center.
As chairman and chief executive officer of Under Armour, Mr. Plank oversees all
aspects of the business. The company that recorded $17,000 in its first year of
business, while then 23 year-old Mr. Plank was operating out of his grandmother’s
basement in Washington, D.C., has since become a force in sporting goods and a Wall
Street darling. High percentage growth and brand strength has propelled Under Armour
to yearly revenues in excess of $600 million. Plank also works very closely on product
creation and the marketing of the brand, including “PROTECT THIS HOUSETM”, “CLICK-CLACKTM”,
“BoomBoom-TAP™” and “The New Prototype” advertising campaigns. His work to deliver
on the brand’s “Universal Guarantee of Performance” has been recognized by Sporting
Goods Business, which has named Under Armour “Apparel Supplier of the Year” four
years in a row.
Beyond basic American team sports, Plank has grown the Under Armour brand globally.
The Company's products are sold worldwide and worn by athletes at all levels - from
youth to professional - on playing fields around the globe. The Under Armour global
headquarters are located in Baltimore, Maryland, with European headquarters in Amsterdam’s
Olympic Stadium, and additional offices in Denver, Hong Kong, Toronto, and Guangzhou,
China.
While at the helm of Under Armour, Plank has been awarded a wide variety of accolades
that demonstrate his growing influence within the industry. Plank, now 36, has already
earned a spot in Sports Business Journal’s “40 under 40” Hall of Fame, having been
counted among a distinguished group of leaders in the sporting goods industry for
the past three years, and he was honored in 2006 with the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur
of the Year national award in the Retail and Consumer Products Category.
Kevin Plank, who lives in Baltimore with his wife DJ and two young children,
earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University
of Maryland. Mr. Plank is a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of
Maryland College Park Foundation. He is an active member of the Sporting Goods Manufacturers
Association (SGMA), the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and the American
Equipment Managers Association (AEMA).
|