William A. Hilliard (born 28 May 1927, Chicago, IL) is an American journalist.
He worked at The Oregonian from 1952 to 1994, starting as a copy boy, and then rising to clerk, sports reporter, religion and general assignment reporter, assistant city editor, city editor, executive editor, and finally editor, with "full control over the newspaper's news and editorial departments."[1]
Served as president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors in 1993-94.
In 1998, Hilliard was given The Oregon Newspaper Hall of Fame Award by the Oregon Newspaper Publisher's Association.[2]
In 2002, when it was discovered that USA Today reporter Jack Kelley had fabricated some of his stories, USA Today turned to Hilliard, along with veteran editors John Seigenthaler Sr. and Bill Kovach, to monitor the investigation.[3]