Kevin Plank, the founder of Under Armour, has a story that begins in the DC suburb of Kensington, Maryland. Born the youngest of five brothers to William and Jayne Plank, Kevin’s upbringing was steeped in the values of hard work and community service. His father, a notable real estate developer who passed away in 1993, was responsible for local projects like the Al Marah subdivision (Bethesda), while his mother served as mayor of Kensington for eight years and later directed the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs under President Ronald Reagan.
Growing up, Plank was an active participant in youth football through the Maplewood Sports Association, even featuring a Maplewood team in an Under Armour commercial years later. One of his cherished local spots was Continental, a family-run restaurant that has been a staple of the Kensington community since 1957.
Plank’s educational journey was not without its bumps. He initially attended Georgetown Preparatory School but faced challenges that led to his expulsion due to poor academic performance and behavioral issues, including a notorious “drunken brawl” with Georgetown University football players (per Forbes). However, he persevered and graduated from St. John’s College High School in 1990, where he met his future wife, Desiree Jacqueline “D.J.” Guerzon. Their paths would intertwine again at the University of Maryland, where they began dating and eventually tied the knot.
In a bid to pursue football, Plank spent a year at Fork Union Military Academy before walking on to the University of Maryland’s football team. Graduating in 1996 with a degree in business administration from the Robert H. Smith School of Business, he laid the groundwork for his future entrepreneurial endeavors.
The spark for Under Armour ignited during his time with the Maryland Terrapins. Plank, often dubbed the “sweatiest guy on the field,” struggled with the limitations of traditional cotton t-shirts. This led him on a quest to find a synthetic material that could wick away sweat and keep athletes comfortable. His first foray into business, a seasonal venture called Cupid’s Valentine, earned him $3,000, which he leveraged, alongside credit cards and a Small Business Administration loan, to launch Under Armour.
Plank initially envisioned naming his new company ‘Heart,’ but after stumbling through trademark issues, he settled on ‘Under Armour.’ The unique British spelling of “Armour” was a strategic choice to create an appealing phone number—888-4ARMOUR—over 888-44ARMOR, according to Business Insider.
Operating from his grandmother’s townhouse in Georgetown, Plank turned his living space into a makeshift office and inventory center. Under Armour’s first product, the #0037 shirt, was sold straight from his car, and he relied on former teammates to test his innovative apparel. His big break came with a team sale to Georgia Tech, and by the end of his first year, Under Armour had achieved $17,000 in sales.
A pivotal moment arrived in late 1999 when Plank bet nearly all of the company’s funds on a $25,000 advertisement in ESPN The Magazine. The gamble paid off, resulting in $1 million in direct sales the following year and marking the beginning of Under Armour’s ascent in the athletic apparel industry. By 2010, the company reached $1 billion in annual revenue, and by 2011, Plank’s net worth soared to an estimated $1.05 billion.
As CEO, Plank oversaw significant growth, with Under Armour generating $5 billion in annual revenue and employing approximately 15,800 people by the end of 2017. In October 2019, he announced his departure as CEO, handing the reins to Patrik Frisk on January 1, 2020. Under Armour’s competitive edge saw it surpass Adidas, capturing the second spot in U.S. apparel and footwear sales behind Nike.