Don Tilman began his career in broadcasting while still a student at Marion High School, working for WMRI radio station in Marion starting in 1955.
After high school, he continued his education at Indiana University and Northwestern University, earning a degree in radio and television in 1961. He hosted radio programs and began working in television in college.
Don went on to be one of the creators of WTAF-TV Channel 31, Marion's first television station.
After a stop at WQAD-TV in Moline, Illinois, he became Vice President/Station Manager in charge of programming and production for WTTV in Indianapolis. Mr. Tillman was responsible for making WTTV one of the top and most respected television stations in the country, with iconic on-screen characters including Sammy Terry, Cowboy Bob, and Janie.
In 1981 he moved to Los Angeles to serve as President of Programming and Production at KTTV in Los Angeles and Metromedia Studios in Hollywood. There, he was responsible for the production facilities for such shows as “All in The Family,” “Family Ties,” “Facts of Life,” “Married with Children,” and “The Simpsons,” and he also created the long-running Fox show “Comic Strip Live.” He also produced award-winning broadcasts of the Rose Bowl.
His many accolades in his career include four Emmy Awards, Gold Medals from the International Film Festival, five Telly Awards, six Angel Awards, and two International Olympic Media Awards.
His most prized award, “The Sagamore of the Wabash,” was presented by Indiana Gov. Otis Bowen for the nine-year production of the governor's television program “Report From The Statehouse.” During his time in Hollywood, he served two terms as Chairman of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. He also served as one of the nine Trustees of the world-famous Hollywood Sign. He was also a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Governing Board.
He was the Director of the William H. Parker Foundation of the Los Angeles Police Department and Executive Director of Television for the University of Southern California, where he founded the Trojanvision TV station and taught thousands of students the tools of the trade in the TV business.
He married Dianne Nelson, Marion High School Class of 1959, and they had two children, Donna and Jeff, and several grandchildren, and a great-grandchild at the time of Don’s passing in 2021.