From trial and error to integration: How Benjamin Fouch blends business, technology and engineering with Purdue University’s online Doctor of Engineering

When Benjamin Fouch looks back on his career, he doesn’t see a straight line. Instead, he sees a process of elimination. By trying different paths, learning quickly what didn’t fit and moving forward with clarity, he uncovered his true passion: connecting people, processes and technology. Though he grew up in a Purdue family, he was for years the only one who hadn’t joined the tradition. His trial-and-error journey has since taken him from a small town in Indiana into early career work in mergers and acquisitions at Booz Allen in Washington, and ultimately back home to Lacy Diversified Industries (LDI), where he now serves as Vice President of Strategy and Operations. At LDI, Fouch helps portfolio companies grow, whether by driving transformation projects, improving culture or building strategies for long-term success.  

“I realized I got more satisfaction when I felt like I was changing and driving the business outcomes,” he explains. “That’s what drew me back toward operations and leadership roles.” 

Fouch’s career reflects the growing emphasis on private equity operations, not just financial engineering. His focus on integration carried into his education, where his path has been anything but conventional. With degrees spanning political science, finance, industrial engineering and computer science, Fouch eventually turned to Purdue’s online Doctor of Engineering program to tie all his disciplines together.  

“I had all of these different technical views in multiple fields, but they were all in silos,” he says. “Traditional PhD programs require you to drill into one subject area, but that wasn’t what I needed. This program is about synthesis across domains to solve industry problems.” 

That need for synthesis came directly from Fouch’s real-world challenges. In a moment of recollection, he recalls a time early in his career when he was asked by a supervisor to evaluate a manufacturing plant. He could read the income statement, but he didn’t have the engineering frameworks to assess the production floor itself. Later, when he found himself managing a global IT department, he realized he lacked the technical grounding to evaluate competing platforms. Each of these moments drove him back to the classroom, seeking tools and frameworks he could immediately apply in his career.  

“I was bothered when I couldn’t give a strong answer,” he said. “Education gave me the structure to solve problems I was already facing on the job… Purdue is the most industry-facing university I’ve ever been involved with.” 

He recalls one professor driving two hours to a plant he worked at, setting up a system he designed in class and seeing it go directly into production. The professor sat with Fouch, workshopping feedback and ideas to help improve the process.  

“That’s pretty special and that’s not normal,” Fouch notes. “It makes the return on investment of the program so much higher, because it’s not just about the degree. It’s about the ecosystem of people and ideas you’re part of.” 

As he looks ahead, Fouch shared that he wants to provide for his family and stay relevant in his field. Beyond that, he hopes to make an impact as a leader, especially in small to mid-sized businesses that often lack the resources of larger corporations. He believes the Doctor of Engineering program is preparing him for a future where integrators — leaders who can connect disciplines and leverage tools like AI to create new solutions — will be more impactful than ever.  

“This program teaches people to be at the center, the nexus, the connection point that integrates different domains together.” 

That belief shapes not only his career vision, but also how he evaluates the program itself. While it is still relatively new, Fouch values that faculty and staff actively seek feedback from students to help shape its direction.  

“The trajectory of the program is being informed by the people who are living it,” he says. “That gives me confidence it will only get stronger as it grows.” 

For anyone considering Purdue’s Doctor of Engineering program, Fouch offers both encouragement and an invitation. 

“If you’re considering it, I’d encourage you to reach out to me or other students to hear first-hand what makes it unique,” he says. “It’s an exceptional opportunity to make a real impact in your career and in your industry.” 

In the end, the once-reluctant Purdue outsider is now proud to call himself a Boilermaker. And with the program’s integration of knowledge, industry application and faculty support, Fouch sees his decision as one that will continue to pay dividends throughout his career. 

Learn more about Purdue’s Doctor of Engineering program at the program’s webpage and start your journey today.