Fred Eichhorn received his bachelor's degree in business in 1952 and served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. After earning his law degree from the IU School of Law-Bloomington in 1957, he joined his father's law firm in Gary and became a partner in 1963. He served on the boards of numerous civic organizations in northwest Indiana. He served as president of the Indiana State Bar Association, received the Chancellor's Medallion from IU Northwest and is a member of the Academy of Law Alumni Fellows. Eichhorn served as a member of the IU Board of Trustees for 15 years and was president from 2002 to 2005.