As special teams captain for the University of Maryland football program, Kevin Plank grew frustrated with the heavy, sweat-soaked cotton T-shirts he and his football teammates wore under their equipment during practice and games. Knowing there had to be something better, Plank set out to create an alternative to the cotton T-shirt—one that could wick sweat and keep athletes cool, dry, and light.
Upon graduating from Maryland in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, Plank started to turn his idea into a reality and, as a result, began redefining the way athletes dress. That year, he went on a mission to find the perfect fabric—performance synthetics—and combined it with an athlete’s perfect fit—compression. What started out as one tight shirt ultimately led to the launch of Under Armour as the high-performance answer to the dilemma of a sweat-drenched cotton tee.
With 27 years of outfitting athletes with the world’s most innovative performance apparel, footwear, and equipment, Plank now oversees a global company of more than 14,000 employees with total revenues of over $5 Billion. With a clearly defined purpose: We Empower Those Who Strive For More, Under Armour products are sold globally and are worn by athletes at all levels.
Mr. Plank became Under Armour’s Executive Chairman and Brand Chief in January 2020, following his roles as Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors from 1996 to 2019, and President from 1996 to July 2008 and August 2010 to July 2017.
