Under Armour CEO To Give UMD's Spring Commencement Address

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (WJZ) --The spring commencement address at the University of Maryland will be delivered by Under Armour CEO and UMD alumnus Kevin Plank, the university announced Monday.

Plank, one of the school's many success stories, will address thousands of graduates along with their families and friends during the May 18 ceremony at the XFINITY Center.

The Under Armour founder's products were inspired by the grueling two-a-day workouts he and his teammates endured while playing for the Terrapins football team.

When he graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1996, he launched the company with the goal of designing a T-shirt that could ward off sweat and keep athletes cool and dry.

Since then, Under Armour has grown to 14,000 employees worldwide and nearly $4 billion in revenues under Plank's vision.

"We are incredibly pleased to welcome Kevin Plank back to campus as our commencement speaker this spring," Mary Ann Rankin, UMD's senior vice president and provost, said in a statement. "Plank embodies the entrepreneurial spirit that we strive to instill in all UMD students, and will offer a great deal of inspiration to our graduates."