Board of Trustees
Kirk Dillard
Hinsdale; Appointed March 2023
Dillard currently serves as the chair of the Northeastern Illinois Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), the nation鈥檚 second largest mass transit system, serving over 1 million daily riders, with assets over $150 billion, chair of the country鈥檚 first privately owned tollway, the iconic Chicago Skyway, connecting Chicago to northwest Indiana.
Dillard served in the Illinois Senate for nearly 20 years, representing Chicagoland鈥檚 western suburbs. He chaired the Judiciary Committee and the Senate鈥檚 High Tech Technology Task Force.听
Prior to that, Dillard served with distinction as former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar鈥檚 Chief of Staff and the late Gov. James R. Thompson鈥檚 director of Legislative Affairs. Dillard has served as a judge on the Illinois Court of Claims and is a member of the Illinois Supreme Court Historic Preservation Commission. He has served as an instructor of legal research, writing and moot court at the DePaul University College of Law, where he serves on its Dean鈥檚 Advisory Council. He also served as a lecturer on legislation and statutory interpretation at Loyola University in Chicago and DePaul鈥檚 law schools, as well as a mentor to the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago. Dillard has been a longtime member of the College of DuPage Foundation Board, raising scholarship funding for students.
Dillard was named to Who鈥檚 Who in Chicago Business by 鈥淐rain鈥檚 Chicago Business,鈥� and awarded an Illinois Super Lawyer designation by his peers. The Illinois Farm Bureau awarded him the Friend of Agriculture award, and he was inducted into the Legislative Staff Hall of Fame by the University of Illinois and 鈥淚llinois Issues.鈥�
He served multiple terms as president of Western鈥檚 Alumni Council and was the student trustee on Western鈥檚 Board of Governors as an undergraduate.
Dillard received his Bachelor of Arts degree and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Western. He received a Juris Doctorate from the DePaul University College of Law, where he was awarded the American Bar Association Award for Urban, State and Local Government.
Email: KW-Dillard@wiu.edu听
Connect with us: