“The power of sport … promotes unity, diversity and inclusion.”
Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank. Image by University of Delaware Alumni Relations/Flickr.
Under Armor CEO Kevin Plank is resigning from President Donald Trump’s American Manufacturing Council according to a statement released by the company.
“I joined the American Manufacturing Council because I believed it was important for Under Armour to have an active seat at the table and represent our industry,” Plank said in the statement. “However, Under Armor engages in innovation and sports, not politics.”
“I love our country and our company and will continue to focus my efforts on inspiring every person that they can do anything through the power of sport which promotes unity, diversity and inclusion."
I love our country & company. I am stepping down from the council to focus on inspiring & uniting through power of… https://t.co/3hx1e0PWnr— Under Armour (@Under Armour) 1502756091
Plank previously faced criticism from Warriors superstar Steph Curry, Under Armor’s biggest endorer, after Plank praised Trump’s election, saying, “To have such a pro-business president is something that is a real asset to this country. People can really grab that opportunity."
“I agree with that description,” Curry had told Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group. “If you remove the ‘et’ from asset.”
Curry also dangled the possibility of leaving Under Armor. “If there is a situation where I can look at myself in the mirror and say they don’t have my best intentions, they don’t have the right attitude about taking care of people,” Curry told Thompson. “If I can say the leadership is not in line with my core values, then there is no amount of money, there is no platform I wouldn’t jump off if it wasn’t in line with who I am. So that’s a decision I will make every single day when I wake up. If something is not in line with what I’m about, then, yeah, I definitely need to take a stance in that respect.”
Plank is the second CEO to depart the council. Kenneth Frazier, CEO of pharmaceutical company Merck, resigned Monday morning after Trump’s tepid response to a violent Nazi demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia.
“Our country's strength stems from its diversity and the contributions made by men and women of different faiths, races, sexual orientations, and political beliefs,” Frazier said in a statement.
“America's leaders must honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting expressions of hatred, bigotry, and group supremacy, which run counter to the American ideal that all people are created equal,” he continued.
“As CEO of Merck, and as a matter of personal conscience, I feel a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism.”
Late Monday night, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich became the third executive to resign from the council.
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