W. L. Lillard has been a business leader, community activist and entrepreneur in the City of Chicago for a number of years.  From 1973 to 1978, W. L. was the host of "Stars of  Tomorrow", which aired on Channel 26, WCIU TV in Chicago.  Acquiring a Private Investigator's license from the State of Illinois. In 1964, W. L. became President and  Owner of W. L. Lillard Bureau of Investigation, which is still in operation today, as The  International Detectives and Investigators, a full service Detective Agency.  In 1980, W. L. became a Deputy Sheriff of Cook County, IL and 5 years later became the Chief of Police of the Maywood, IL Park District Police Department.

W. L. has hosted "Straight Talk" since June 1990. Guests on his show included Senator Barack Obama, Dick Gregory, Ella Jenkins, Ben Vereen, Rev. Johnnie Coleman, Congressman Danny Davis, Ossie Davis, Clifton Davis, James Brown, Fred (the Hammer) Williamson, Rahbee Ben Ammi and Prince Asiel of the Hebrew Nation, Ald. Dorothy Tillman, who passed a bill in the Chicago city council for reparations, Ald. William Beavers, Chairman of the City Budget, City of Chicago, Chicago Superintendents of  Police, Terry Hillard and Leroy Martin, Congressman Bobby Rush, Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. ,Senator Carol  Mosely–Braun, Congressman Jesse L. Jackson Jr., Actor/Activist, Jim Brown and a host of other notable celebrity and community leaders. 

Covering a wide range of subjects from  Economic Empowerment, to Educational Choice, the show has won "Excellence in Media Awards" from the Midwest Community Council, Cosmopolitan Chamber of Commerce, the African American Contractors Association and the Kingdom of God Inc. of Jerusalem, Israel. W. L. supports and is a member of several  organizations including the Fraternal Order of Police, Operation PUSH, Democratic Organization of Cook County, the Midwest Community Council,   The Geneva Scott Outreach Services and Black On Black Love, Board Member.

He is the Chairman/CEO of the Straight Talk Economic Roundtable, a consortium of business people. Other citations include "Businessman  of the Year" from Malcolm X College; "Businessman of the Year" from National  Publications Sales: Publishers of the "Black Book"; "Businessman of the Year from the Illinois State Senate and many others.

dubuell@starplanettv.com