In partnership with the late Coach John Wooden’s family, UCLA Anderson honors one exceptional leader each year with a prestigious award for exemplary leadership and service to the community. On November 13, 2017, the 10th anniversary John Wooden Global Leadership Award will be given to Kevin A. Plank, founder, CEO and chairman of performance apparel, footwear and equipment company Under Armour.
As the story goes:
Even as a kid, Kevin Plank had a passion for sports and the spirit of an entrepreneur. So it makes sense that he was just a college student-athlete when he was struck with the idea that would eventually launch Under Armour and change the way athletes around the world dress forever.
Plank founded Under Armour in 1996. As a former special teams captain of the University of Maryland football team, he was tired of having to change his sweat-soaked cotton T-shirts over and over again during two-a-days. Knowing that there had to be something better, he set out to develop a next-generation shirt that would remain drier and lighter. He created the high-performance answer to the sweat-drenched cotton dilemma. Since then, he has built Baltimore-based Under Armour into an innovative company and championed Maryland communities and causes.
Past recipients of the John Wooden Global Leadership Award include: W. James McNerney Jr., president, CEO and chairman of Boeing (2016); Ursula Burns, chairman and CEO of Xerox (2015); Paul E. Jacobs, executive chairman of Qualcomm Inc. (2014); Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company (2013); Indra Nooyi, chairman and CEO of PepsiCo (2012); Peter Ueberroth, managing director of Contrarian Group (2011); Frederick W. Smith, chairman, president and CEO of FedEx (2010); Kenneth Chenault, chairman and CEO of American Express (2009); and Howard Schultz, chairman, president and CEO of Starbucks (2008).
Read more about Kevin Plank and Under Armour.
The John Wooden Fellowships are among the most prestigious honors UCLA Anderson students can receive. Named for John Wooden, UCLA’s legendary coach, leadership philosopher and exemplar, the fellowships are awarded annually to MBA students who embody Coach Wooden’s values-based leadership. Essential components of this style include a focus on ethics, team spirit, skill, hard work and loyalty, along with a commitment to constant learning, continual improvement and innovation. Each fellowship is worth $25,000 and is funded by the annual John Wooden Global Leadership Awards Dinner.
The 2017 John Wooden Global Leadership Awards ceremony takes place on November 13, honoring Kevin Plank, founder, CEO and chairman of Under Armour, and John Wooden Global Leadership fellows Evan Barnes (EMBA ’18), Anna Goldberg (MBA ’18), Sana Rahim (FEMBA ’19) and Brandon Scott (MBA/M.D. ’18).
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