Benjamin Charles Bourgeois was born in Ocean City, New Jersey to Chuck and Priscilla Bourgeois on October 30, 1978. By the early age of 3, he was surfing and entered his first contest at age 6.

In 1986 the Bourgeois family relocated to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. It is in the waters of Wrightsville Beach that the future Champion would master the surf that would one day rank him 16th among the world surfing elite.

Bourgeois is a two-time East Coast Champion, winning championships in 1993 and 1996. In 1994, he would add a national championship to his list of accomplishments.

His first international exposure came in 1995 when he captured the Quicksilver Grommet International Surfing Championship in Bali. In 1996, the young surfing sensation became the International Surfing Association World Junior Champion. The short board specialist became the first North Carolina surfer to win a Junior Division title at the World Championships.

Bourgeois was named to the USA team in the 1996 International Surfing Association World Surfing Games held in Huntington, California. In 2003, he represented the East in the ESPN X Games where he won a gold medal.

He has enjoyed victories all over the world including the 2001 Miyazaki Pro held in Miyazaki, Japan, the 2006 Reef Classic Latin Pro in Soup Bowl, Barbados and the 2007 Rip Curl Boardmasters in Newquay, England.

In 2008 he took second place honors in The Nike 6.0 Pro held in Trestles, California. Bourgeois retired from the World Championship Tour at the age of 30.

Even though retired, Bourgeois continues to compete in select events. Last year, he placed first in the Belmar Pro and the Hurley Outer Banks Pro. He also represented the United States in the World Surfing Games in Costa Rica. He took home top honors and brought home the gold.