Talk:Kevin Plank

Link problem

Your first link does not work - goes nowhere. KarenAnn 12:58, 20 July 2006 (UTC)

Did he develop the fabric?

The article states that Kevin develop the moisture-wicking fabrics. I thought wht he did was to buy some apparel that was used for other purpose, cut them and made them shirts. Can anyone confirm this? 199.67.140.83 (talk) 16:20, 22 September 2008 (UTC)

Rewrite

I've rewritten this article for a number of reasons. First, this article was previously full of fancruft, violations of the biography of living persons guidelines, and general lack of knowledge. While it's nice to know every single thing that Plank ever did, it's completely unnecessary for Wikipedia. This article is about Plank himself, not about Under Armour as a whole. For info about Under Armour, see the Under Armour article. BLP articles are supposed to be fully referenced, and there was just a whole lot that wasn't. That's fixed now. — HelloAnnyong ^{(say whaaat?!)} 17:24, 18 April 2010 (UTC)

What is his religion? Is he Jewish?

What is his religion? Is he Jewish? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2.99.79.43 (talk) 04:27, 8 March 2017 (UTC)

That is a question for the reference desk. See WP:Reference desk Jytdog (talk) 04:57, 8 March 2017 (UTC)

Request to update Early life

Hi there! I've been working for a while on a new draft for this article, to try to provide a more developed version that is consistently-sourced and provides a full overview of Mr. Plank's life and career, based on the many secondary sources about him. To start with, I wanted to offer a fairly simple update to the Early life section.

The current section doesn't have any major issues, however:

• There are sentences that don't have citations
• Some details aren't quite accurate to the sourcing (specifically the detail about the Maple Leafs)
• The order of events regarding his graduation from St. John's College and playing football at Fork Union Military Academy is currently incorrect; he played at Fork Union after his graduation from St. John's
• There's a little more information that can be added regarding his high school and college football career; this has relevance to his career later on and has been covered by multiple sources, it also helps to clarify his attendance at both St. John's and Fork Union
• His degree is not currently mentioned in the article
• I'd suggest mention of his marriage is more appropriate in the Personal life section

As well as the above, Mr. Plank would prefer not to mention the financing of Darren Drozdov's wheelchair; this is a detail that hasn't received a lot of coverage so I'd suggest we simply cut if editors are comfortable with doing so.

The below draft addresses all of the above notes, adding more sourcing for the information regarding Plank's early life and developing the details about his football career. Changes and new details are shown in green:

Proposed update to Early life

Early life

Kevin Plank grew up in Kensington, Maryland, a suburb of Washington D.C., the youngest of five brothers born to William and Jayne Plank. His father, William, was a prominent Maryland land developer. His mother, Jayne (née Harper), is a former mayor of Kensington, who went on to direct the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs at the United States Department of State under President Ronald Reagan.

Plank, a Roman Catholic, grew up playing youth football with the Maplewood Sports Association; a Maplewood team has appeared in Under Armour commercials. He left Georgetown Preparatory School because of poor academic performance and behavioral issues, then went on to graduate from St. John's College High School in 1990. Afterward, he played football at Fork Union Military Academy for a year, trying to get the attention of NCAA Division I schools. He was not recruited by the top-tier collegiate football programs. However, he went to University of Maryland, College Park and walked onto the team there. He graduated in 1996 with a bachelor's degree in business administration.

References
References

Markup

==Early life==
Kevin Plank grew up in [[Kensington, Maryland|Kensington]], [[Maryland]], a suburb of Washington D.C., the youngest of five brothers born to William and Jayne Plank.<ref name="Dessauer09">{{cite news |title=Team player |last1=Dessauer |first1=Carin |url=http://www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Magazine/March-April-2009/Team-Player/ |newspaper=Bethesda Magazine |date=March-April 2009 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref><ref name="Shah16">{{cite news |title=How Kevin Plank turned a single idea into a global brand |last1=Shah |first1=Ritika |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2016/01/07/how-kevin-plank-turned-a-single-idea-into-a-global-brand.html |newspaper=[[CNBC]] |date=7 January 2016 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> His father, William, was a prominent Maryland [[land developer]]. His mother, Jayne (née Harper), is a former [[mayor]] of Kensington, who went on to direct the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs at the [[United States Department of State]] under President [[Ronald Reagan]].<ref name="Graham03">{{cite news |title=2003 Businessperson of the year: The man behind the 'armour' |last1=Graham |first1=Scott |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2003/12/29/story4.html?page=all |newspaper=[[American City Business Journals|Baltimore Business Journal]] |date=29 December 2003 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>

Plank, a [[Roman Catholic]],<ref name="Green16">{{cite news |title=Kevin Plank donates $1 million to Baltimore Catholic schools |last1=Green |first1=Erica L. |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/topic/religion-belief/christianity/roman-catholicism/12009010-topic.html |newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=7 September 2016 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> grew up playing youth football with the Maplewood Sports Association; a Maplewood team has appeared in Under Armour commercials.<ref name="Dessauer09"/><ref name="McKenna06">{{cite news |title=Under Armour uses locals to go global |last1=McKenna |first1=Dave |url=http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/arts/theater/article/13034187/protect-this-brand |newspaper=[[Washington City Paper]] |date=24 November 2006 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> He left [[Georgetown Preparatory School]] because of poor academic performance and behavioral issues,<ref name="Shapiro15">{{cite news |title=Under Armour founder gives $16 million to St. John's College High |last1=Shapiro |first1=T. Rees |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/under-armour-founder-gives-16-million-to-st-johns-college-high/2015/11/06/7adc7724-84bf-11e5-9afb-0c971f713d0c_story.html?utm_term=.4c9d03cc3007 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=7 November 2015 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref><ref name="Murphy15">{{cite news |title=How the founder of Under Armour went from getting kicked out of high school to running a $22 billion company |last1=Murphy Jr. |first1=Bill |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/kevin-plank-got-kicked-out-of-high-school-and-went-on-to-run-under-armour-2015-10 |newspaper=[[Business Insider]] |date=29 October 2015 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> then went on to graduate from [[St. John's College High School]] in 1990.<ref name="Shapiro15"/><ref name="Palmisano09">{{cite news|last=Palmisano|first=Trey|title=From rags to microfiber: inside the rapid rise of Under Armour|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/more/04/09/under.armour/index.html|publisher=Sports Illustrated|access-date=February 10, 2012|date=April 9, 2009}}</ref> Afterward, he played football at [[Fork Union Military Academy]] for a year, trying to get the attention of [[NCAA Division I]] schools.<ref name="Palmisano09"/><ref name="Fagone13">{{cite news |title=Kevin Plank, the man under the armour |last1=Fagone |first1=Jason |url=http://www.mensjournal.com/magazine/kevin-plank-the-man-under-the-armour-20130820 |newspaper=[[Men's Journal]] |date=20 August 2013 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> He was not recruited by the top-tier collegiate football programs.<ref name="Fagone13"/> However, he went to [[University of Maryland, College Park]] and walked onto the team there.<ref name="Fagone13"/> He graduated in 1996<ref name="Dessauer09"/><ref name=Roberts11>{{cite journal|last=Roberts|first=Daniel|title=Under Armour Gets Serious|journal=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]|date=November 7, 2011|volume=164|issue=7|url=http://fortune.com/2011/10/26/under-armour-gets-serious/|accessdate=November 23, 2011|page=156|issn=0015-8259}}</ref> with a [[Bachelor's degree|bachelor's degree]] in [[business administration]].<ref name="Forbes-Profile">{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/kevin-plank/ |title=Kevin Plank |date=2017 |publisher=[[Forbes]] |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>

As I do have a conflict of interest here, since I'm making this suggestion on behalf of Mr. Plank via agency SKDKnickerbocker as part of my work at Beutler Ink, I won't make any edits to the article myself. Instead, I welcome input from uninvolved editors and assistance taking live changes as appropriate. Thanks in advance, 16912 Rhiannon (Talk · COI) 21:59, 24 April 2018 (UTC)

@16912 Rhiannon: I went ahead with the changes you requested, though I kept the Drozdov bit; I understand why he wouldn't want to add it, but since it's cited, I'm not too keen on removing sourced content. If anyone else wants to do it, feel free. Zappa⚡Mati 17:50, 15 May 2018 (UTC)

Thanks so much for reviewing, ZappaOMati. I understand re: the Drozdov mention and will leave that up to other editors, per your note. If you'd be willing to help with some more improvements to this article, I'll have some more requests to share soon. 16912 Rhiannon (Talk · COI) 14:16, 16 May 2018 (UTC)

Request to add Politics section

Hi there! Following my post above, I'd like to continue making requests here, next seeking to consolidate the detail on Mr. Plank's politics into one section called Politics.

Currently, Plank's political donations, comments on President Donald Trump, and his time on Trump's American Manufacturing Council are dispersed between two sections: Political views and Controversy, and it would be easier for readers to follow all this related material if it was placed into one section. Additionally, I have added new content and context around existing material, and snipped a couple of details that don't belong in the article. Specifically:

• Summarized detail on Mr. Plank's political contributions since it is cited that he has given to members of both parties
• Expanded and provided context to athletes responding to Mr. Plank's comments on President Trump, and Mr. Plank's response
• Slightly reworked Mr. Plank's time on the American Manufacturing Council
• Added detail on Mr. Plank's opposition to Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Accord and Mr. Plank's pledge to promote workplace diversity and inclusion, all of which is sourced
• Deleted the sentence, which was added by an IP editor: "Sports industry analyst Stavros Halkias described Plank as "a date-rape-and-boat-shoes kind of guy," though he admitted later he could not substantiate this claim and that this merely a "vibe."" This is a sensational comment that was made on a comedy podcast (I've never listened but its SoundCloud page refers to it as the official comedy podcast of the National Basketball Association). My understanding is that this sort of detail is against BLP guidelines.
• I'm also suggesting removing the details regarding tax credits that Plank's Sagamore Farm receives; this is currently included under Controversy however, the information was just one example listed in a piece about the horse industry in Maryland and didn't focus in on Mr. Plank specifically. I've searched and haven't found other coverage of this, so don't feel it rises to the level of a controversy that should be covered in this article. The farm itself seems noteworthy for inclusion based on other coverage, and I plan to offer new wording about this later for editors to consider.

The proposed Politics section draft, markup, and references are below.

Politics draft

Politics

According to the Federal Election Commission, Plank has donated to both major U.S. political parties and to individuals of both parties. On CNBC's Halftime Report in February 2017, Plank commented on President Donald Trump's pro-business philosophy, saying the president was a "real asset" to the business community. Plank's comments drew criticism on social media. As some customers vowed to boycott the brand, three major endorsers—Stephen Curry, ballerina Misty Copeland, and actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson—went on Twitter to express their opposition. Johnson called Plank's words "divisive". In the days following the remarks, Plank bought a full-page advertisement in The Baltimore Sun to clarify his comments. In the ad, Plank said Under Armour stood for job creation, but publicly opposed the president's proposed travel ban.

Plank sat on the President Trump's American Manufacturing Council. He stepped down from the council following President Trump's comments on violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, saying Under Armour "engages in innovation and sports, not politics". Additionally, he publicly opposed President Trump’s decision to withdrawal from the Paris Accord and was among the Fortune 500 CEOs to sign a pledge to promote workplace diversity and inclusion.

Markup

==Politics==
According to the [[Federal Election Commission]], Plank has donated to both major U.S. political parties and to individuals of both parties.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fec.gov/finance/disclosure/norindsea.shtml|title=Search Campaign Finance Data by Individual Contributor|website=fec.gov|accessdate=15 August 2017}}</ref> On [[CNBC]]'s ''Halftime Report'' in February 2017, Plank commented on [[President Donald Trump]]'s pro-business philosophy, saying the president was a "real asset" to the business community.<ref name="BarkerFeb17">{{cite news |title=Kevin Plank praises Trump as 'passionate' and pro-business |last1=Barker |first1=Jeff |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/under-armour-blog/bal-kevin-plank-praises-trump-as-passionate-and-pro-business-20170207-story.html |newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=7 February 2017 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> Plank's comments drew criticism on social media. As some customers vowed to boycott the brand, three major endorsers—[[Stephen Curry]], ballerina [[Misty Copeland]], and actor [[Dwayne Johnson|Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson]]—went on [[Twitter]] to express their opposition.<ref name="Mirabella17">{{cite news |title=Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank responds to Trump tempest with letter to Baltimore |last1=Mirabella |first1=Lorraine |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/under-armour-blog/bs-bz-under-armour-plank-letter-20170214-story.html |newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=15 February 2017 |accessdate=5 March 2018}}</ref> Johnson called Plank's words "divisive".<ref name="Mirabella17"/> In the days following the remarks, Plank bought a full-page advertisement in ''The Baltimore Sun'' to clarify his comments. In the ad, Plank said Under Armour stood for job creation, but publicly opposed the president's proposed travel ban.<ref name="Singer17">{{cite news |title=Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank clarifies Trump comments in Baltimore Sun ad |last1=Singer |first1=Michael |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2017/02/15/under-armour-ceo-kevin-plank-clarifies-trump-baltimore-sun-ad/97954298/ |newspaper=[[USA Today]] |date=15 February 2017 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>

Plank sat on the President Trump's [[American Manufacturing Council]]. He stepped down from the council following President Trump's comments on violence in [[Unite the Right rally|Charlottesville, Virginia]], saying Under Armour "engages in innovation and sports, not politics".<ref name="Rosenfeld17">{{cite news |title=Under Armour CEO adds his name to those leaving Trump's manufacturing council |last1=Rosenfeld |first1=Everett |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/14/under-armour-ceo-kevin-plank-says-he-is-leaving-trumps-manufacturing-council.html |newspaper=[[CNBC]] |date=14 February 2017 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> Additionally, he publicly opposed President Trump’s decision to withdrawal from the [[Paris Accord]]<ref name="Barrabi17">{{cite news |title=Under Armour's Kevin Plank rips decision to exit Paris climate agreement |last1=Barrabi |first1=Thomas |url=http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2017/06/02/under-armours-kevin-plank-rips-decision-to-exit-paris-climate-agreement.html |newspaper=[[Fox Business]] |date=2 June 2017 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> and was among the [[Fortune 500]] CEOs to sign a pledge to promote workplace [[diversity (business)|diversity and inclusion]].<ref name="Wilen17">{{cite news |title=Joe Sullivan, Kevin Plank among 150 CEOs pledging to improve workplace diversity and inclusion |last1=Wilen |first1=Holden |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2017/06/12/joe-sullivan-kevin-plank-among-150-ceos-pledging.html |newspaper=[[American City Business Journals|Baltimore Business Journal]] |date=12 June 2017 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>

References
References

My suggestion is that this new draft section replace the existing Political views and Controversy sections. Below, I've shown this content and placed the details that I suggest removing in red:

Existing content to replace

Political views

Plank has made donations to numerous Republican candidates, including $2,000 to Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign in 2008.

According to Federal Election Commission, Plank has donated to both parties and to individuals of both parties.

Controversy

In 2007, Plank purchased historic Sagamore Farm in Baltimore County, Maryland with hopes to restore the farm, and raise a Triple Crown winning horse. He has received tax credits for the 426-acre farm since 2007, resulting in a tax bill of no more than $20,000 annually. Questions have been raised on whether or not Sagamore Farm merits tax breaks, since the tax breaks are traditionally used for Maryland farmers.

In February 2017 Plank expressed support for Donald Trump on a sports talk show, leading to negative responses from sponsored athletes and teams.

On August 14, 2017, Plank announced that he was stepping down as a member of Trump's American Manufacturing Council stating that his sportswear company "engages in innovation and sports, not politics", also hinting disappointment that Donald Trump did not condemn the white supremacists during the 2017 Unite the Right rally. Sports industry analyst Stavros Halkias described Plank as "a date-rape-and-boat-shoes kind of guy," though he admitted later he could not substantiate this claim and that this merely a "vibe."

Existing content references
References

As I do have a conflict of interest here, since I'm making this suggestion on behalf of Mr. Plank via agency SKDKnickerbocker as part of my work at Beutler Ink, I won't make any edits to the article myself. Instead, I welcome input from uninvolved editors and assistance taking live changes as appropriate. ZappaOMati: Are you interested in reviewing this request? Also pinging Rms125a@hotmail.com, who has made edits to this page in recent months to see if they'd be interested to look at this. Thanks in advance, 16912 Rhiannon (Talk · COI) 13:21, 18 May 2018 (UTC)

@16912 Rhiannon:  Done Zappa⚡Mati 20:50, 20 May 2018 (UTC)

Thanks so much for reviewing, ZappaOMati. I see you added the Politics section under Activism and that change looks good to me. I'll be back here soon with some more proposed updates, specifically some editing and expansion of the Career section; would you be willing to take a look at that if I ping you? 16912 Rhiannon (Talk · COI) 16:40, 23 May 2018 (UTC)

Request to update Career section

Hi there! Following my posts above, I'm here with a proposed draft Career section for review. My new draft is a somewhat substantial rewrite of the existing Career section. Although I have retained a lot of the existing detail, I have also tightened some of the content and removed what editors might find to be fluff or detail that's too much about Under Armour and less about Kevin Plank himself.

Here are the main changes in the draft:

• I'm suggesting dividing the Career section into three subsections: Under Armour, Sagamore Farm, and Plank Industries
• To give this section more narrative, I've moved some details around to place all related details together
• The first paragraph now focuses on Mr. Plank's most noteworthy business from his college days, Cupid's Valentine
• The paragraph about Mr. Plank's initial idea for Under Armour has been tightened, and I deleted non-encyclopedic language such as "sweat-soaked"
• A few new details I added: the funding Plank used to launch Under Armour; Plank's efforts to name his new business; the first shirt that Plank sold; Plank's first big team sale to Georgia Tech; finishing the company's first year selling $17,000 worth of shirts; Plank asking employees to go without pay to afford a $25,000 ad in ESPN The Magazine
• The paragraph on Plank and Under Armour acquiring activity- and diet-tracking apps is rewritten to to tighten the language and eliminate what could be POV tone ("Plank led the charge")
• I added detail about the current size of Under Armour
• I added Plank's membership on the National Football Foundation's board of trustees
• I added a section on Mr. Plank's Sagamore Farm and entrance into horse racing
• I rewrote and expanded content on Plank Industries and its various initiatives in Baltimore
• Finally, a few details that I removed: Under Armour's first TV commercial, which is currently tagged as needing citation; Plank's Forbes rankings (I intend to propose a separate section for recognition later); Plank's 2011 Under Armour shareholdings (due to lack of appropriate sourcing)

Proposed update to Career

Career

While at University of Maryland, Plank launched Cupid's Valentine, a seasonal business selling roses on Valentine's Day. Cupid's Valentine earned $17,000, which Plank used as seed money for Under Armour. He continued to use the "Cupid" name when he later launched his Cupid's Cup competition.

Under Armour

The idea that led to Under Armour was sparked while playing for the Maryland Terrapins, Plank said he was the "sweatiest guy on the football field". Frustrated by his cotton T-shirts' inability to keep him dry and comfortable, he searched for a material that would wick the sweat from his body. After graduating from Maryland, Plank searched for synthetic materials that would keep athletes dry. Using a mix of his own cash, credit cards, and a Small Business Administration loan, he launched the business. Plank tried several prototypes before deciding on the one he wanted to use.

Plank originally sought to call his new sportswear company Heart, but he could not trademark it. He also attempted to name his company Body Armor, but efforts to trademark that name were also unsuccessful. One day, his brother asked him, "How's that company you're working on … Under Armor?" The name stuck. Plank said he chose the British spelling "armour" because he "thought the phone number 888-4RMOUR was much more compelling than 888-44ARMOR".

Plank initially ran the business from his grandmother's town house in Georgetown. Under Armour's first shirt was the #0037, which Plank sold from his car. He also asked his former teammates to try on the shirts, claiming that his alternative to a cotton T-shirt would enhance their performance on the field. As his friends moved on to play professionally, he would send them T-shirts, requesting that they pass them out to other players in their locker rooms. His first big team sale was to Georgia Tech. In 1996, Planked finished his first year selling shirts with $17,000 in sales.

A turning point for him came late in 1999, when Plank used nearly all of Under Armour's money, and employees agreed to go without paychecks for a few weeks, so the company could take out a $25,000 advertisement in ESPN The Magazine. The ad resulted in $1 million in direct sales for the following year, and athletes and teams began buying the product. Plank's company reached $1 billion annual revenue for the first time in 2010, and Plank became a billionaire in 2011, when his net worth was estimated at $1.05 billion.

Between 2014 and 2016, Under Armor spent close to $1 billion to acquire makers of activity- and diet-tracking mobile apps. Many long-term employees questioned Plank's strategy and whether the company would produce a return on their investment. Plank spent hours in one-on-one conversations to try and persuade those employees."It was important," Plank said, "that this not just be my decision. The strategy was a success, earning the company the world's largest digital health-and-fitness community, with 150 million users.

As CEO, Plank oversees a company that generated US$5 billion in annual revenue and employed about 15,800 people as of December 31, 2017.

Plank is a member the board of trustees for the National Football Foundation.

Sagamore Farm

Plank bought the 530-acre historic Sagamore Farm in Baltimore County, Maryland, in 2007. The property was once owned by Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt. The farm was the home to stallion Native Dancer, who went 21 for 22 during his racing career from 1952-1954. Plank has said he seeks to restore the farm and rejuvenate Maryland's horse racing tradition by raising a Triple Crown winning horse. On November 5, 2010, Sagamore Farms' Shared Account won the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (GI). There are about 100 horses on Sagamore farm, with about 40 actively training as of July 2017.

Plank Industries

Beginning in 2013, Plank's real estate firm, Sagamore Development, was leading a $5.5-billion mixed-use development project in Baltimore's Port Covington area. The company had acquired approximately 235 acres in the area and planned to build a mix of offices, residential areas, retail space, parks, boat launches and more.

Plank also founded the whiskey distillery Sagamore Spirit in 2013. He was initially approached about creating a vineyard, but being a whiskey enthusiast he asked his business partner to research whiskey. The limestone aquifer on Plank's farm produced water fit to distill whiskey, so Plank and business partner Bill McDermond founded Sagamore Spirits to restore Maryland's whiskey distilling tradition. Its first bottles were sold at stores in 2016.

Plank renovated the former Recreation Pier building in Fells Point, Baltimore. The building was originally built in 1914 to store port cargo and later served as a community center and studio for the television series Homicide: Life on the Street; it closed in 1999. Following Plank's renovation, the building reopened as the Sagamore Pendry Hotel.

Plank Industries also bought and revamped the water taxi in Inner Harbor.

Markup

==Career==
While at University of Maryland, Plank launched Cupid's Valentine, a seasonal business selling [[roses]] on [[Valentine's Day]]. Cupid's Valentine earned $17,000, which Plank used as seed money for Under Armour.<ref name="Dessauer09"/> He continued to use the "Cupid" name when he later launched his Cupid's Cup competition.<ref name="Eichensehr17">{{cite news |title=Five finalists chosen for Kevin Plank's Cupid's Cup competition |last1=Eichensehr |first1=Morgan |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2017/02/22/five-finalists-chosen-for-kevin-planks-cupids-cup.html |newspaper=[[American City Business Journals|Baltimore Business Journal]] |date=22 February 2017 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>

===Under Armour===
The idea that led to Under Armour was sparked while playing for the [[Maryland Terrapins]], Plank said he was the "sweatiest guy on the football field".<ref name=Roberts11/><ref name="Dessauer09"/> Frustrated by his cotton T-shirts' inability to keep him dry and comfortable, he searched for a material that would wick the sweat from his body.<ref name=washpost>{{cite news |last=Heath |first=Thomas |title=Taking on the giants: How Under Armour founder Kevin Plank is going head-to-head with the industry's biggest players |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/15/AR2010011503033.html |accessdate=November 25, 2011 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=January 24, 2010}}</ref> After graduating from Maryland, Plank searched for synthetic materials that would keep athletes dry. Using a mix of his own cash, credit cards, and a [[Small Business Administration]] loan, he launched the business.<ref name="Graham03">{{cite news |title=2003 Businessperson of the year: The man behind the 'armour' |last1=Graham |first1=Scott |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2003/12/29/story4.html?page=all |newspaper=[[American City Business Journals|Baltimore Business Journal]] |date=29 December 2003 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> Plank tried several prototypes before deciding on the one he wanted to use.<ref name="Palmisano09"/>

Plank originally sought to call his new [[sportswear]] company Heart, but he could not trademark it.<ref name="O'Reilly15">{{cite news |title=15 surprising facts about Under Armour |last1=O'Reilly |first1=Lara |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/15-facts-about-under-armour-history-name-2015-11/#1-under-armours-billionaire-founder-kevin-plank-didnt-get-off-to-the-best-of-starts-he-was-thrown-out-of-private-high-school-after-failing-two-classes-and-for-his-part-in-what-forbes-described-as-a-drunken-brawl-with-some-georgetown-university-football-players-1 |newspaper=[[Business Insider]] |date=19 November 2015 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> He also attempted to name his company Body Armor, but efforts to trademark that name were also unsuccessful.<ref name="O'Reilly15"/> One day, his brother asked him, "How's that company you're working on … Under Armor?" The name stuck.<ref name="O'Reilly15"/> Plank said he chose the British spelling "armour" because he "thought the phone number 888-4RMOUR was much more compelling than 888-44ARMOR".<ref name="O'Reilly15"/>

Plank initially ran the business from his grandmother's town house in [[Georgetown (Washington, D.C.)|Georgetown]].<ref name=Roberts11/> Under Armour's first shirt was the #0037, which Plank sold from his car.<ref name="palafox14">{{cite news |title=Under Armour's real estate MVP |last1=Palafox |first1=Christopher James |url=http://americanbuildersquarterly.com/2014/under-armour/ |newspaper=American Builders Quarterly |date=2014 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> He also asked his former teammates to try on the shirts, claiming that his alternative to a cotton T-shirt would enhance their performance on the field. As his friends moved on to play professionally, he would send them T-shirts, requesting that they pass them out to other players in their locker rooms. His first big team sale was to [[Georgia Tech]].<ref name="Foster16">{{cite news |title=Kevin Plank is betting almost $1 billion that Under Armour can beat Nike |last1=Foster |first1=Time |url=https://www.inc.com/magazine/201602/tom-foster/kevin-plank-under-armour-spending-1-billion-to-beat-nike.html |newspaper=[[Inc. (magazine)|Inc.]] |date=February 2016 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> In 1996, Planked finished his first year selling shirts with $17,000 in sales.<ref name="Graham03"/>

A turning point for him came late in 1999, when Plank used nearly all of Under Armour's money, and employees agreed to go without paychecks for a few weeks, so the company could take out a [[United States dollar|$]]25,000 advertisement in ''[[ESPN The Magazine]]''.<ref name="Allaire16">{{cite news |title=20 things you didn't know abot Under Armour |last1=Allaire16 |first1=Christian |url=http://footwearnews.com/2016/focus/athletic-outdoor/20-things-you-didnt-know-about-under-armour-shoes-217410/ |newspaper=Footwear News |date=2 May 2016 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> The ad resulted in $1 million in direct sales for the following year, and athletes and teams began buying the product.<ref name="washpost"/> Plank's company reached $1 billion annual revenue for the first time in 2010, and Plank became a billionaire in 2011, when his net worth was estimated at $1.05 billion.<ref name="Durgy11">{{cite news |title=Under Armour founder breaks into billionaires club |last1=Durgy |first1=Edwin |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/edwindurgy/2011/12/02/under-armour-founder-breaks-into-billionaires-club/#6bad365c304c |newspaper=[[Forbes]] |date=2 December 2011 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>

Between 2014 and 2016, Under Armour spent close to $1 billion to acquire makers of activity- and diet-tracking mobile apps. <ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/2/4/7980793/under-armour-acquires-myfitnesspal-475-million|title=Under Armour acquires weight loss app, MyFitnessPal, for $475 million dollars|work=The Verge|access-date=2018-03-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-04/under-armour-acquires-apps-in-bid-to-become-top-fitness-tracker |title=Under Armour Buys Apps in Bid to Become Top Fitness Tracker|date=2015-02-04|work=Bloomberg.com|access-date=2018-03-01|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Inc16">{{Cite news|url=https://www.inc.com/magazine/201602/tom-foster/kevin-plank-under-armour-spending-1-billion-to-beat-nike.html |title=Kevin Plank Is Betting Almost $1 Billion That Under Armour Can Beat Nike|last=|first=|date=2016-01-06|work=Inc.com|access-date=2018-03-01|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|language=en}}</ref> Many long-term employees questioned Plank's strategy and whether the company would produce a return on their investment. Plank spent hours in one-on-one conversations to try and persuade those employees."It was important," Plank said, "that this not just be my decision. The strategy was a success, earning the company the world's largest digital health-and-fitness community, with 150 million users.<ref name="Inc16"/>

As CEO, Plank oversees a company that generated {{USD|5 billion}} in annual revenue and employed about 15,800 people as of December 31, 2017.<ref name="2017AR">{{cite web |url=http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/UARM/5864840884x0x975316/629B335B-1D9C-4AB2-918C-999D4C9A5555/2017_UA_Annual_Report.pdf |title=2017 Annual Report |date=2018 |publisher=Under Armour |page=4 |accessdate=12 April 2018}}</ref><ref name="2017Form10K">{{cite web |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1336917/000133691718000009/ua-20171231x10k.htm |title=Form 10-K |date=2017 |publisher=Under Armour |page=9 |accessdate=12 April 2018}}</ref>

Plank is a member the board of trustees for the National Football Foundation.<ref name="reuters-UnderArmour">{{cite web |url=http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/company-officers/UA |title=Under Armour Inc |publisher=[[Reuters]] |accessdate=28 September 2017}}</ref>

===Sagamore Farm===
Plank bought the 530-acre historic [[Sagamore Farm]] in [[Baltimore County, Maryland]], in 2007.<ref name="Sherman15">{{cite news |title=Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank embarks on megamansion in Baltimore County |last1=Sherman |first1=Natalie |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/under-armour-blog/bs-bz-plank-mansion-20151223-story.html |newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=23 December 2015 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> The property was once owned by [[Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt]].<ref name="McKee12">{{cite news |title=Sagamore Farm history comes alive with visit from a Vanderbilt |last1=McKee |first1=Sandra |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/bal-preakness-insider-sagamore-farm-history-comes-alive-with-visit-from-a-vanderbilt-20120427-story.html |newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=27 April 2012 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> The farm was the home to stallion [[Native Dancer]], who went 21 for 22 during his racing career from 1952-1954.<ref name="Unger11">{{cite news |title=Ponying up |last1=Unger |first1=Mike |url=https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/2011/5/3/kevin-plank-eyes-the-triple-crown |newspaper=[[Baltimore (magazine)|Baltimore]] |date=May 2011 |accessdate=25 May 2018}}</ref> Plank has said he seeks to restore the farm and rejuvenate Maryland's horse racing tradition by raising a [[Triple Crown]] winning horse.<ref name="SI12">{{cite news |title=Kevin Plank, founder of Under Armour, enters horse in Preakness |url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2012/05/14/kevin-plank-horse-racing |newspaper=[[Sports Illustrated]] |date=14 May 2012 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref><ref name="Unger11"/> On November 5, 2010, Sagamore Farms' Shared Account won the $2 million [[Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf]] (GI).<ref name="Bloodhorse.com">{{cite web |url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/133065/bc-winner-shared-account-retired |title=BC Winner Shared Account retired |date=17 November 2011 |publisher=Bloodhorse.com |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> There are about 100 horses on Sagamore farm, with about 40 actively training as of July 2017.<ref name="Walker17">{{cite news |title=50 things to do or see in Maryland sports: Visit Native Dancer's grave at Sagamore Farm |last1=Walker |first1=Childs |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bal-50-things-to-do-or-see-in-maryland-sports-visit-native-dancer-s-grave-at-sagamore-farm-20170709-story.html |newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=12 July 2017 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>

===Plank Industries===
Beginning in 2013,<ref name="Sisson17">{{cite news |title=In Baltimore, Under Armour’s owner invests in a $5.5 billion bet on his city |author=Patrick Sisson |url=https://www.curbed.com/2017/4/11/15258408/baltimore-under-armour-port-covington-innovation-village |work=Curbed |date=11 April 2017 |accessdate=12 April 2018}}</ref> Plank's real estate firm, Sagamore Development, was leading a $5.5-billion [[mixed-use development]] project in Baltimore's [[Port Covington]] area.<ref name="Hoppert17">{{cite news |title=Remaking Baltimore's waterfront, with a splash of whiskey |last1=Hoppert |first1=Melissa |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/16/realestate/under-armour-preakness-kevin-plank-sagamore-port-covington.html?_r=1 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=16 May 2017 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> The company had acquired approximately 235 acres in the area<ref name="Sisson17"/> and planned to build a mix of offices, residential areas, retail space, parks, boat launches and more.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-moy-kevin-plank-20161229-story.html |title=Marylander of the Year: Kevin Plank |last=Sun |first=Baltimore |newspaper=baltimoresun.com |access-date=January 10, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Sherman15">{{Cite news |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/real-estate/wonk/bs-bz-covington-under-armour-20150605-story.html |title=Plank's Sagamore Development plans start-up hub in Port Covington |last=Sherman |first=Natalie |newspaper=baltimoresun.com |access-date=January 10, 2017}}</ref>

Plank also founded the [[whiskey]] [[distillery]] Sagamore Spirit in 2013.<ref name="Gantz17">{{cite news |title=Sagamore Spirit debuts its distillery in Port Covington |last1=Gantz |first1=Sarah |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-sagamore-spirit-distillery-20170420-story.html |newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=20 April 2017 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> He was initially approached about creating a [[vineyard]], but being a whiskey enthusiast he asked his business partner to research whiskey.<ref name="Foster16">{{cite news |title=Under Armour's Kevin Plank enters the whiskey wars |last1=Foster |first1=Tom |url=https://www.inc.com/tom-foster/under-armour-kevin-plank-enters-the-whiskey-wars.html |newspaper=[[Inc. (magazine|Inc.]] |date=11 May 2016 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> The [[limestone]] [[aquifer]] on Plank's farm produced water fit to distill whiskey, <ref name="Foster16"/> so Plank and business partner Bill McDermond founded Sagamore Spirits to restore Maryland's whiskey distilling tradition.<ref name="Gantz17"/> Its first bottles were sold at stores in 2016.<ref name="Gantz17"/>

Plank renovated the former [[Sagamore Pendry Baltimore|Recreation Pier]] building in [[Fells Point, Baltimore]].<ref rame="Hoppert17"/> The building was originally built in 1914 to store port cargo and later served as a community center and studio for the television series ''[[Homicide: Life on the Street]]''; it closed in 1999.<ref name="Sherman17">{{cite news |title=Historic Recreation Pier reopens as Sagamore Pendry Hotel |last1=Sherman |first1=Natalie |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-sagamore-hotel-ribbon-cutting-20170321-story.html |newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=21 March 2017 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> Following Plank's renovation, the building reopened as the Sagamore Pendry Hotel.<ref name="Hoppert17"/>

Plank Industries also bought and revamped the water taxi in [[Inner Harbor]].<ref name="Campbell16">{{cite news |title=Sagamore unveils first new Baltimore water taxi, a historic Chesapeake throwback |last1=Campbell |first1=Colin |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-water-taxi-20161107-story.html |newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=7 November 2016 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>

References
References

As I do have a conflict of interest here, since I'm making this suggestion on behalf of Mr. Plank via agency SKDKnickerbocker as part of my work at Beutler Ink, I won't make any edits to the article myself. Instead, I welcome input from uninvolved editors and assistance taking live changes as appropriate. ZappaOMati: Are you interested in reviewing this request? Thanks in advance, 16912 Rhiannon (Talk · COI) 14:10, 25 May 2018 (UTC)

@16912 Rhiannon: There were a few grammar/reference syntax issues with your proposed markup, but I went ahead and applied any fixes. Everything else content-wise looks fine to me. Zappa⚡Mati 04:10, 26 May 2018 (UTC)

Thanks so much for the careful review, ZappaOMati, much appreciated. I'll look closely at what you added vs. my draft so I can see what you fixed and aim to avoid those issues in future. Thanks again! 16912 Rhiannon (Talk · COI) 13:41, 30 May 2018 (UTC)

Request to update Personal life

Hi there! Continuing to follow up my posts above and seek improvements to this article, I'm here with a new proposed draft for the Personal life section for editors to take a look at. This draft is short compared to my previous requests here, but it includes two significant edits:

• My draft removes the following sentence: "In 2013, Plank purchased a mansion in the Georgetown section of Washington D.C. for $7.85 million". While this sentence is properly sourced, this strikes me as not being appropriate to include in a biographical Wikipedia article. Mr. Plank is not notable for his personal real estate holdings. Besides, there are plenty of Wikipedia articles on notable people that do not include such detail. Of course, I defer to editors ultimately on whether it should be kept since it is well-sourced.
• My draft includes Mr. Plank's current location of residence and net worth
• Additionally, I added in a reference that is already used in the article to support the detail regarding Mr. Plank's marriage

Proposed updates to Personal life

Personal life

Plank married his wife, Desiree Guerzon, in 2003. They have two children. Plank lives in Lutherville, Maryland. As of February 2018, Forbes estimated his net worth at US$1.8 billion.

Markup

==Personal life==

Plank married his wife, Desiree Guerzon, in 2003.<ref name="Dessauer09"/> They have two children.<ref name="Dessauer09"/> Plank lives in Lutherville, Maryland.<ref name="Forbes-Profile"/> As of February 2018, ''Forbes'' estimated his [[net worth]] at {{USD|1.8 billion}}.<ref name="Forbes-Profile"/>

References
References

As I do have a conflict of interest here, since I'm making this suggestion on behalf of Mr. Plank via agency SKDKnickerbocker as part of my work at Beutler Ink, I won't make any edits to the article myself. Instead, I welcome input from uninvolved editors and assistance taking live changes as appropriate. ZappaOMati: Would you be interested in reviewing this request, too? Thanks in advance, 16912 Rhiannon (Talk · COI) 17:44, 1 June 2018 (UTC)

@16912 Rhiannon: Done. I figured I'd remove the mansion part; people buy houses all the time, and of course billionaires are going to buy bigger houses. Unless the mansion itself has something "unique" (like an interesting history of past owners/events), I don't really see any reason to keep it. Zappa⚡Mati 04:00, 2 June 2018 (UTC)

Thanks so much, ZappaOMati, and sorry for delay as I've been under the weather. My thoughts exactly re: Plank's house. Also, I only have a few more edit requests left, and then this article will be fully updated. 16912 Rhiannon (Talk · COI) 19:49, 6 June 2018 (UTC)

Request to clean-up and update philanthropic efforts

Hi there! Continuing along, I'm here with a new proposed draft for Mr. Plank's philanthropic efforts for editors to take a look at. I think this material could be nestled into the Activism section, but that heading seems non-standard for Wikipedia, so I'm curious if editors would be in favor of splitting off his philanthropic/charitable efforts and Politics as their own sections or giving a different umbrella heading?

The current section that details Mr. Plank's charitable efforts is confusingly headed Other work, is tagged as needing citations, and it includes detail that is more about Under Armour than Plank himself. My draft below organizes Mr. Plank's philanthropic efforts around three main areas—Baltimore, entrepreneurship, and school giving—and provides citations throughout. I also removed details referenced only to Under Armour's website.

Here are the main changes in the draft:

• As mentioned above, I reorganized the material to show the areas of focus for Mr. Plank's philanthropy
• Added citations throughout
• I removed the following, which is in the live article, as it is about Under Armour and cites a primary source:
  • Plank is a member the Board of Trustees for the National Football Foundation and the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association. His involvement in philanthropy has also translated to his business. Under Armour supports the V Foundation for cancer research and has its own Power in Pink campaign, raising funds for breast cancer research and education. In addition, Under Armour supports the Boomer Esiason Foundation, the Rock Foundation, Ronald McDonald House and Conservation Fund. The Company also has a "Give Back" program, encouraging employees to become involved with local charities.
• I added Mr. Plank's charitable arm funding 40 summer jobs for Cherry Hill, Baltimore, public school students
• I updated his board memberships
• I added Mr. Plank's $5 million donation through his Cupid Foundation to help create the UA House at Fayette, an East Baltimore community center run by Living Classrooms
• I added addition context surrounding Mr. Plank's $25 million donation to the University of Maryland
• I added Mr. Plank's $16 million pledge to St. John's College High School in Chevy Chase, Maryland
• I added Mr. Plank's $1 million donation to the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 2016 to help 100 more children go to Catholic school

Proposed updates to philanthropic efforts

Philanthropy

Baltimore

Plank donated $1 million through The Cupid Foundation to the Baltimore-based CollegeBound in 2016. The next year, his charitable arm funded 40 summer jobs for Cherry Hill, Baltimore, public school students in the maritime transport industry.

Plank is also active within the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., communities, as a member of the Greater Baltimore Committee and Greater Washington Partnership. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees for Living Classrooms, a Baltimore-Washington based non-profit organization dedicated to the hands-on education of young people using urban, natural and maritime environments as “living classrooms". Through his Cupid Foundation, Plank donated $5 million to help create the UA House at Fayette, an East Baltimore community center run by Living Classrooms.

Entrepreneurship

Plank has been a long-time supporter of the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business and Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship. In addition to sitting on the University’s Board of Trustees, he played an integral role in the development of an endowment fund that the Dingman Center uses to invest in viable startup businesses. He is also responsible for the development of the Cupid's Cup business competition. The competition got its name from his “Cupid's Valentine” rose business he began while attending the University.

School giving

In November 2014, Plank pledged $25 million to the University of Maryland to be used for the proposed athletics and academic complex. The project will convert Cole Field House, the school's former basketball arena, into the football facility, a sports medicine center and student entrepreneurship lab. In 2015, Plank pledged $16 million to St. John's College High School in Chevy Chase, Maryland, to fund athletics, academics and entrepreneurship initiatives. Plank donated $1 million to the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 2016 to help 100 more children go to Catholic school.

Markup

==Philanthropy==
===Baltimore===
Plank donated $1 million through The Cupid Foundation to the Baltimore-based CollegeBound in 2016.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/bal-kevin-plank-donates-1-million-to-baltimore-s-collegebound-foundation-20160725-story.html |title=Kevin Plank donates $1 million to Baltimore's CollegeBound Foundation |last=Green |first=Erica L. |work=baltimoresun.com |access-date=March 7, 2017 |language=en-US}}</ref> The next year, his charitable arm funded 40 summer jobs for [[Cherry Hill, Baltimore]], public school students in the [[maritime transport]] industry.<ref name="Duncan17">{{cite news |title=Kevin Plank's foundation funds summer jobs for Cherry Hill students |last1=Duncan |first1=Ian |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-plank-summer-jobs-20170522-story.html |newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=22 May 2017 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>

Plank is also active within the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., communities, as a member of the Greater Baltimore Committee<ref>{{cite news |title=Greater Baltimore Committee backs Port Covington TIF |author=Adam Bednar |url=http://thedailyrecord.com/2016/07/28/greater-baltimore-committee-port-covington-tif/ |work=The Daily Record |date=28 July 2016 |accessdate=12 April 2018}}</ref> and Greater Washington Partnership.<ref>{{cite news |title=Transportation workforce development to be top priorities for Greater Washington Partnership |author=Sarah Gantz |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-greater-washington-partnership-priorities-20170920-story.html |work=Baltmore Sun |date=21 September 2017 |accessdate=12 April 2018}}</ref> He is also a member of the Board of Trustees for Living Classrooms, a Baltimore-Washington based non-profit organization dedicated to the hands-on education of young people using urban, natural and maritime environments as “living classrooms".<ref name="Milligan16">{{cite news |title=Kevin Plank, Living Classrooms Foundation unveil UA House in East Baltimore |author=Carey Milligan |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2016/11/22/kevin-plank-living-classrooms-foundation-unveil-ua.html |work=Baltimore Business Journal |date=22 November 2016 |accessdate=12 April 2018}}</ref> Through his Cupid Foundation, Plank donated $5 million to help create the UA House at Fayette, an East Baltimore community center run by Living Classrooms.<ref name="Mirabella16">{{cite news |title=Under Armour re-imagines a community center in East Baltimore |last1=Mirabella |first1=Lorraine |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/under-armour-blog/bal-armoury-under-armour-living-classrooms-center-20161121-story.html |newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=21 November 2016 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>

===Entrepreneurship===
Plank has been a long-time supporter of the University of Maryland’s [[Robert H. Smith School of Business]] and Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship. In addition to sitting on the University’s Board of Trustees, he played an integral role in the development of an endowment fund that the Dingman Center uses to invest in viable startup businesses.<ref name="Cho07">{{cite news |title=2 top UM business alumni set fund |last1=Cho |first1=Hanah |url=http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2007-10-09/business/0710090125_1_dingman-center-business-school-business-ideas |newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=9 October 2007 |accessdate=28 September 2017}}</ref> He is also responsible for the development of the Cupid's Cup business competition. The competition got its name from his “Cupid's Valentine” rose business he began while attending the University.<ref name="Sullivan16">{{cite news |title=Kevin Plank's Cupid's Cup picks College Park startup for top prize |last1=Sullivan |first1=Joanna |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2016/04/08/kevin-planks-cupids-cup-picks-college-park-startup.html |newspaper=[[American City Business Journals|Baltimore Business Journal]] |date= |accessdate=28 September 2017}}</ref>

===School giving===

In November 2014, Plank pledged $25 million to the University of Maryland to be used for the proposed athletics and academic complex.<ref>{{cite news |last=Barker |first=Jeff |title=Plank giving $25 million for UM athletic, academic project |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/under-armour-blog/bs-bz-plank-gift-20141120-story.html |accessdate=November 23, 2014 |newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=November 20, 2014}}</ref> The project will convert Cole Field House, the school's former basketball arena, into the football facility, a sports medicine center and student entrepreneurship lab.<ref name=Barker14>{{cite news |last=Barker |first=Jeff |title=Plank giving $25 million for UM athletic, academic project |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/under-armour-blog/bs-bz-plank-gift-20141120-story.html |accessdate=November 23, 2014 |newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=November 20, 2014}}</ref> In 2015, Plank pledged $16 million to St. John's College High School in [[Chevy Chase, Maryland]], to fund athletics, academics and entrepreneurship initiatives.<ref name="Dinsmore15">{{cite news |title=Under Armour's Kevin Plank gives $16 million to high school alma mater |last1=Dinsmore |first1=Christopher |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/under-armour-blog/bal-under-armour-s-kevin-plank-gives-16-million-to-high-school-alma-mater-20151109-story.html |newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=9 November 2015 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref> Plank donated $1 million to the [[Archdiocese of Baltimore]] in 2016 to help 100 more children go to [[Catholic school]].<ref name="Green16"/>

References
References

As I do have a conflict of interest here, since I'm making this suggestion on behalf of Mr. Plank via agency SKDKnickerbocker as part of my work at Beutler Ink, I won't make any edits to the article myself. Instead, I welcome input from uninvolved editors and assistance taking live changes as appropriate. ZappaOMati: Would you be interested in reviewing this request? Thanks in advance, 16912 Rhiannon (Talk · COI) 20:21, 8 June 2018 (UTC)

@16912 Rhiannon: Sorry for the wait, haven't had the chance to get to this until now. Everything looks fine to me, so I went ahead and got those changes added. Zappa⚡Mati 03:23, 13 June 2018 (UTC)

No worries at all, ZappaOMati your review is much appreciated and I don't mind waiting at all, I know you must have other things that you're working on. Thanks so much for reviewing and adding the updated text! 16912 Rhiannon (Talk · COI) 18:35, 13 June 2018 (UTC)

Request for introduction, infobox, recognition, and final fixes

Hi there! Now that most of my proposed updates for this article have been reviewed, I am making one last edit request with all my remaining suggested edits. ZappaOMati: If you're inclined to review this, too, I imagine this will be easier for you to see everything that's remaining. There's not much more, but do let me know if you'd prefer I split this up into separate requests!

Introduction
I prepared a new introduction that is not much different than that of the live article. However, my draft includes a few minor improvements:

• Wikilinks for "entrepreneur", "businessman", "sports performance apparel" and "footwear"
• The addition of "philanthropist"
• Lowercase "c" in chairman per Wikipedia's MoS
• Change "Baltimore" to "Baltimore, Maryland"
• My draft does not include Mr. Plank's net worth, as this information is already covered in the infobox and Personal life section. Right now, the article body copy uses a figure from February 2018, and the infobox uses a figure from June 2018 (although it still says as of February). Since this info is routinely updated, perhaps it is best to leave in one place at the top of the article, for ease of maintenance. I suggest the infobox, but understand if editors prefer to keep it in the introduction.

Proposed introduction

Kevin A. Plank (born August 13, 1972) is an American entrepreneur, businessman and philanthropist. Plank is the founder, CEO and chairman of Under Armour, a manufacturer of sports performance apparel, footwear and accessories, based in Baltimore, Maryland.

Markup

'''Kevin A. Plank''' (born August 13, 1972) is an American [[entrepreneur]], [[businessman]] and [[philanthropist]]. Plank is the founder, CEO and chairman of [[Under Armour]], a manufacturer of [[Sportswear (activewear)|sports performance apparel]], [[footwear]] and accessories, based in [[Baltimore, Maryland]].

Infobox
For the infobox, I've prepared an updated version that adds some wikilinks throughout, updates that the currently listed net worth is from June 2018, and removes the Salary parameter. I had removed the salary because the current figure was outdated. Additionally, the figure given was for total compensation, as opposed to salary and given Mr. Plank's ownership of Under Armour, it seems more relevant to show the net worth and not his salary.

Proposed infobox

Kevin Plank
Born	(1972-08-13) August 13, 1972 Kensington, Maryland, U.S.
Nationality	American
Alma mater	University of Maryland, College Park
Occupation	Businessman
Known for	Founder, CEO, and chairman of Under Armour
Spouse	Desiree "D.J." Guerzon
Children	2

Markup

{{Infobox person
|name = Kevin Plank
|image = Kevin Plank - UA photo.JPG
|image_size =
|caption =
|birth_name =
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1972|8|13|mf=y}}
|birth_place = [[Kensington, Maryland]], U.S.
|residence = [[Lutherville, Maryland]], U.S.
|alma_mater = [[University of Maryland, College Park]]
|nationality = [[American people|American]]
|occupation = [[Businessman]]
|known_for = Founder, [[Chief executive officer|CEO]], and [[chairman]] of [[Under Armour]]
|networth = {{USD|2.1 billion}} ({{As of|2018|June}})<ref name=Forbes-networth>{{cite news |title=Kevin Plank: CEO and chairman, Under Armour |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/kevin-plank/?list=billionaires |newspaper=[[Forbes (magazine)|Forbes]] |date=14 June 2018 |accessdate=14 June 2018}}</ref>
|spouse = Desiree "D.J." Guerzon
|children = 2
|religion =

}}

References
References

Recognition
Mr. Plank has received a range of accolades over his career to date, and I've put together a proposed Recognition section below capturing the more prominent recognition from the last several year. To cover all the bases, the draft includes everything major that I could source, and I leave it up to editors to decide what is included in the article. Some of the below does not have secondary coverage, but is still high profile recognition and I wanted to offer it in case editors felt it important to include. I've kept the presentation of this information to a simple list organized by year. With all that said, I'm aware that this type of information is often considered more promotional and so I'm open to trims and to other ways of presenting the details. If the details can be added, I suggest including at the end of the article, below the Philanthropy section.

Proposed Recognition details

Recognition

2017

• Achiever of the Year by Success Magazine
• Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company
• Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Famer

2016

• No. 16 on 50 Most Influential People in Sports Business by Sports Business Journal
• No. 37 on Businessperson of the Year list by Fortune
• Game Changer by Men's Fitness
• No. 26 on Power 100 Most Influential Designers, Influencers and Leaders in the Shoe Industry by Footwear News
• No. 6 on 50 Most Influential People in Sports by Sporting News
• No. 63 on Power List by Adweek
• Hall of Champions award by the U.S. Small Business Administration

2015

• No. 23 on 50 Most Influential People in Sports by Sports Business Journal
• No. 36 on Businessperson of the Year by Fortune
• No. 66 on The Power List by Adweek

2014

• Person of the Year by Footwear News
• No. 21 on 50 Most Influential People in Sports Business by Sports Business Journal
• No. 15 on Top People in Business by Fortune

2013

• No. 4 on America's 20 Most Powerful CEOs 40 and Under
• No. 24 on Sports Illustrated's Most Powerful People in Sports

Markup

==Recognition==
===2017===
*Achiever of the Year by ''Success Magazine''<ref name="Friedlander17">{{cite news |title=2016 Success Achiever of the Year: Kevin Plank |last1=Friedlander |first1=Jamie |url=http://www.success.com/article/2016-success-achiever-of-the-year-kevin-plank |newspaper=Success Magazine |date=10 January 2017 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>
*Most Creative People in Business by ''Fast Company''<ref name="LincolnJournalStar17">{{cite news |title=Hudl founders named to Fast Company list |url=http://journalstar.com/business/local/hudl-founders-named-to-fast-company-list/article_bd69e8bf-8ecf-5fe8-8103-cca7a65b7d07.html |work=[[Lincoln Journal Star]] |date=26 January 2017 |accessdate=22 May 2018}}</ref>
*Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Famer<ref name="MirabellaMay17">{{cite news |title=Kevin Plank inducted into Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame |last1=Mirabella |first1=Lorraine |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/under-armour-blog/bal-armoury-kevin-plank-inducted-into-sporting-goods-industry-hall-of-fame-20170524-story.html |newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=24 May 2017 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>

===2016===
*No. 16 on 50 Most Influential People in Sports Business by ''Sports Business Journal''<ref name="RacingNEWS16">{{cite web |url=https://racingnews.co/2016/12/07/2016-influential-sports-list-brian-france-23/ |title=2016 Most Influential in Sports LIst–Brian France #23|date=7 December 2016 |publisher=Racing NEWs |accessdate=22 May 2018}}</ref>
*No. 37 on Businessperson of the Year list by ''Fortune''<ref name="Fortune-16">{{cite web |url=http://fortune.com/businessperson-of-the-year/kevin-plank-37/ |title=Businessperson of the year |date=2016 |publisher=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]] |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>
*Game Changer by ''Men's Fitness''<ref name="Men'sFitness16">{{cite web |url=http://www.mensfitness.com/life/entertainment/mens-fitness-game-changers-2016-kevin-hart |title=Game changers |date=2016 |publisher=[[Men's Fitness]] |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>
*No. 26 on Power 100 Most Influential Designers, Influencers and Leaders in the Shoe Industry by ''Footwear News''<ref name="Yahoo16">{{cite news |title=Power 100: The Most Influential Designers, Influencers and Leaders in the Shoe Industry |last1=Allen |first1=Rachel |url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/power-100-most-influential-designers-134912441.html |work=[[Yahoo.com|Yahoo]] |date=18 October 2017 |accessdate=22 May 2018}}</ref>
*No. 6 on 50 Most Influential People in Sports by ''Sporting News''<ref name="McGuire16">{{cite news |title=SN ranks the 50 most influential people in sports |last1=McGuire |first1=Justin |url=http://www.sportingnews.com/other-sports/list/ranking-most-influential-people-sports-2016/10hk1btd0sn2w1u3x833gzssef/slide/45 |newspaper=[[Sporting News]] |date=27 September 2016 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>
*No. 63 on Power List by ''Adweek''<ref name="Gianatasio16">{{cite web |url=http://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/adweeks-power-list-2016-top-100-leaders-marketing-media-and-tech-171373/ |title=Adweek's Power List 2016: The top 100 leaders in marketing, media and tech |author=David Gianatasio |date=22 May 2016 |publisher=[[Adweek]] |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>
*Hall of Champions award by the [[U.S. Small Business Administration]]<ref name="Wilen16">{{cite news |title=Here's how Kevin Plank says business owners can create a global brand |last1=Wilen |first1=Holden |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2016/10/12/heres-how-kevin-plank-says-business-owners-can.html |newspaper=[[American City Business Journals|Baltimore Business Journal]] |date=12 October 2016 |accessdate=5 March 2018}}</ref>

===2015===
*No. 23 on 50 Most Influential People in Sports by ''Sports Business Journal''<ref name="SBJ-15">{{cite news |title=50 Most Influential: No. 23 — Kevin Plank |url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2015/12/07/Most-Influential/23.aspx |newspaper=Sports Business Journal |date=7 December 2015 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>
*No. 36 on Businessperson of the Year by ''Fortune''<ref name="Fortune-15">{{cite web |url=http://fortune.com/businessperson-of-the-year/2015/kevin-plank-36/ |title=Businessperson of the year |date=2015 |publisher=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]] |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>
*No. 66 on The Power List by ''Adweek''<ref name="Gianatasio15">{{cite web |url=http://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/most-important-people-your-world-164943/ |title=The 100 most influential leaders in marketing, media and tech |author=David Gianatasio |date=25 May 2015 |publisher=[[Adweek]] |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>

===2014===
*Person of the Year by ''Footwear News''<ref name="Verry15">{{cite news |title=Under Armour To Receive FN’s 2015 Brand Of The Year Award |last1=Verry |first1=Peter |url=http://footwearnews.com/2015/focus/athletic-outdoor/under-armour-brand-footwear-news-achievement-awards-fnaa-2015-171505/ |newspaper=Footwear News |date=19 November 2015 |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>
*No. 21 on 50 Most Influential People in Sports Business by ''Sports Business Journal''<ref name="SBJ-14">{{cite web |url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2014/12/08/Most-Influential/Intro.aspx |title=50 Most Influential |date=8 December 2014 |publisher=Sports Business Journal |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>
*No. 15 on Top People in Business by ''Fortune''<ref name="Fortune14">{{cite web |url=http://fortune.com/businessperson-of-the-year/2014/ |title=Biz person of the year |date=2014 |publisher=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]] |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>

===2013===
*No. 4 on America's 20 Most Powerful CEOs 40 and Under<ref name="Forbes40Under40">{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/pictures/efkk45efgej/no-4-kevin-plank/#6d9a4828549e |title=America's Most Powerful CEOs 40 And Under |author= |date=2013 |publisher=[[Forbes]] |accessdate=26 September 2017}}</ref>

*No. 24 on ''Sports Illustrated''{{'}}s Most Powerful People in Sports<ref name="Lambert13">{{cite news |title=Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank named one of SI's most powerful people in sports |last1=Lambert |first1=Jack |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2013/03/06/under-armour-ceo-kevin-plank-named-one.html |newspaper=[[American City Business Journals|Baltimore Business Journal]] |date=6 March 2013 |accessdate=5 March 2018}}</ref>

References
References

Small citation fix
In the Under Armour section, can we change the full citation for "<ref name="Graham03">" to the shortened "<ref name="Graham03"/>?

Small layout fix
Finally, does it make sense to move Personal life to be the last section before References, as per other biographies on Wikipedia?

As I do have a conflict of interest here, since I'm making this suggestion on behalf of Mr. Plank via agency SKDKnickerbocker as part of my work at Beutler Ink, I won't make any edits to the article myself. Instead, I welcome input from uninvolved editors and assistance taking live changes as appropriate. ZappaOMati: Would you be interested in reviewing this request? Thanks in advance, 16912 Rhiannon (Talk · COI) 15:35, 15 June 2018 (UTC)

@16912 Rhiannon: The Personal life section seems to vary in location for the articles I frequent. Personally, I think it'd be more reasonable to place a prose section like it before a list (Recognition), but I'm fine with it being the last section if anyone else believes otherwise. Since Politics is the only subsection in Activism, I also figured I move it to Personal life since it doesn't fit any of the other sections (similar to what is done at Tom Brady's page). Other than that, everything else looks pretty good to me. Zappa⚡Mati 21:37, 18 June 2018 (UTC)

Thanks so much again, ZappaOMati! Good call on moving Politics under Personal life and I think the organization makes sense with the listy Recognition last on the page. Appreciate all your help in reviewing these suggestions and updating the article, everything looks great! I'm double checking with the folks at SKDK whether they have a newer image available of Plank that can be donated to Wikimedia Commons, and if so I may be back in time to offer that, otherwise, I believe my requests here are complete. Thank you for all your help! 16912 Rhiannon (Talk · COI) 19:47, 19 June 2018 (UTC)

Proposing new image

Hi again! One final request for this article, this time to add a new and clearer image of Kevin Plank. Again, I am here on behalf of Under Armour via SKDKnickerbocker as part of my work at Beutler Ink. On Wikimedia Commons, I've uploaded a file provided by Under Armour: File:Kevin_Plank_headshot_2018.png The Under Armour communications team has sent the permissions release email to Commons. Would editors be ok with adding the image? @ZappaOMati: Would you be happy to add this image or shall I ping again once the permission has been confirmed? Thanks in advance! 16912 Rhiannon (Talk · COI) 01:24, 20 July 2018 (UTC)

@16912 Rhiannon: Personally, I'd rather wait until the permission is confirmed; I'm confident that it'll be approved eventually, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Ping me again once it's finally official. Zappa⚡Mati 21:21, 21 July 2018 (UTC)

That absolutely makes sense to me. I'll ping back here once I see the permissions have been updated. Thanks so much! 16912 Rhiannon (Talk · COI) 20:37, 26 July 2018 (UTC)

Hi there, ZappaOMati, it's been a while! I submitted a new image of Kevin Plank for this article's infobox back in June, and it looks like the permissions have just been updated. Now that it's official, would you be able to add the image? Thanks in advance! 16912 Rhiannon (Talk · COI) 14:46, 12 December 2018 (UTC)

@16912 Rhiannon: That took a while. Nevertheless, now that everything is in order, updated! Zappa⚡Mati 17:52, 12 December 2018 (UTC)

Thank you SO much, ZappaOMati! Appreciate all your help on this page. 16912 Rhiannon (Talk · COI) 17:58, 12 December 2018 (UTC)

Help with review of gossip/speculation content

Hi again! I am wondering if editors could take a look at some "gossipy" content that was recently added to this article by an IP editor to see whether it is appropriate. Specifically, the last paragraph of the Politics section is based on speculation that was published in The Wall Street Journal as to whether or not Plank had a relationship with MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle. Looking into subsequent coverage of the issue in other sources, it appears to simply rehash the WSJ reporting, from what I've seen.

My understanding of WP:BLP and WP:BLPGOSSIP is that biographical articles shouldn't include sensational or unsubstantiated speculation about individuals that is not relevant from a disinterested, encyclopedic perspective ("it is not Wikipedia's job to be sensationalist, or to be the primary vehicle for the spread of titillating claims about people's lives"). Right now, the article does not include mention of the statement from the company saying that the two are friends, and instead only presents rumor from unnamed sources.

As I do have a conflict of interest here, since I'm here on behalf of Mr. Plank via agency SKDKnickerbocker as part of my work at Beutler Ink, I'm looking for input from other editors as to whether this information could be removed, or if kept it can be written in a more encyclopedic way. For now, I'll leave this for others to chime in and, due to my COI, I won't make any edits to the article myself. Thanks in advance, 16912 Rhiannon (Talk · COI) 03:22, 18 April 2019 (UTC)

@ZappaOMatic: pinging you since you'd reviewed my requests here before and are familiar with the page. What do you think would be most appropriate here? I'm also happy to go to BLPN to ask editors there to take a look if that seems like the best move. 16912 Rhiannon (Talk · COI) 21:24, 23 April 2019 (UTC)

@16912 Rhiannon: I'm not a fan of it. For starters, that paragraph is going to need a lot of reworking to even meet encyclopedic standards. Furthermore, the last sentence in it really bothers me since just saying "The full article should be read." suggests there is potential bias behind adding it, plus it's not the proper way to cite a source. I went ahead and removed it as it's basically rumor driven from one article (that's not even correctly cited). Zappa⚡Matic 02:26, 25 April 2019 (UTC)

That was my feeling too but obviously I prefer having someone uninvolved take a look, so I very much appreciate you looking at this, ZappaOMatic. Thanks, 16912 Rhiannon (Talk · COI) 19:28, 25 April 2019 (UTC)

Date of Birth

The article has him graduating from high school in 1990 but born in 1994. The date of birth must be wrong. 47.20.212.187 (talk) 01:00, 8 August 2023 (UTC)