From a top floor of a sleek, glass-clad Chicago office building, in a corner studio with commanding views of the Chicago River and Navy Pier, veteran radio personality John Williams hosts “The John Williams Show” on WGN Radio 720. Pivoting expertly between daily news, planned segments, calls from listeners and guest interviews, Williams connects with his audience with an ease and authenticity that has been perfected over the years as a seasoned broadcaster.
On this particular day in early November 2024, the primary subject on Williams’ show is the impending presidential election: a topic fraught with tension and deep emotions, but one which Williams navigates with fairness and confidence as he discusses the opinions shared by listeners. His ability to parse through tricky topics with a sense of balance and respect for different viewpoints is a significant part of his popularity. As one listener said, “I know John Williams will put this in perspective.”
Williams’ midday show, which airs weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., is one of the most popular of its kind in the Chicago area. With a focus on local news, sports, events and issues, Williams has built a dedicated listener base throughout Illinois and even globally, thanks to the station’s availability on streaming platforms. His daily “Speed Jokes” segment and weekly Friday “Bright Side” segment offer moments of levity and joy that audiences genuinely connect with.
“If you do what I do, you need to know a little bit about a lot,” says Williams. “I need to be well-versed enough to know what questions to ask. It piques my curiosity about life in general.”
Creating a career as a trusted, beloved radio host in a major market does not happen overnight. Williams’ current status at the top of the game is built on a foundation of decades of hard work at different stations, learning all that he could about the business of radio broadcasting. But prior to that, it was his experience as a young Joliet Junior College student that Williams says shaped and prepared him for the future that lay ahead.
After graduating from Minooka High School in 1977, Williams (then known by the last name of Fillipitch), headed to JJC in the fall. It was an easy choice considering his father, John Fillipitch Sr., worked at the school as a guidance counselor. In fact, his father’s JJC career spanned two decades, from 1974 until his retirement in 1994.
“The opportunities were rich. I can’t think of many things I didn’t try!” Williams recalls. “JJC had so much to offer.”
He immediately fell in love with college life, seeking out all the ways he could get involved. He joined the football, basketball and track teams, even earning some impressive results. He took first place in the 880-yard race in the Spoon River Invitational in April 1979, setting what was then a record for the school.
He found a love for math and even became a tutor to help his fellow students.
“If I hadn’t become a broadcaster, I would have been a math teacher,” he says. “When my fellow students would get it, it was the most rewarding thing.”
Williams describes long days spent on campus attending classes and enjoying free time on the Bridge, which was then a very popular social gathering spot for students. The setting over the iconic JJC Lake even inspired him once to write a humorous short story about the turtles that lived in the lake, imagining what they might be thinking or talking about.
Exploring creative outlets led Williams to discover that one of his greatest strengths was writing. He often submitted poems and short stories to the "Wordeater”. The student-run literary publication once named him a “Prose Award” winner (accompanied by a reward of $12.50).
“One of the things JJC instilled in me was confidence; to get published in the ‘Wordeater’ was really validating,” he says.
Beyond extracurricular activities, Williams especially loved that JJC provided him with an incredible academic experience: high quality classes and the opportunity to explore any interest by taking a course such as philosophy or sociology. He recalls that English classes with Maragret Cockbill left him with a lasting memory of being challenged to think critically and see different viewpoints.
After earning his associate in arts degree at JJC, Williams transferred to Southern Illinois University, where he majored in broadcasting and worked at the campus radio station. The rest, as they say, is history.
Over 40 years later, Williams looks back at his time at JJC as a formative experience that helped him achieve his impressive career.
“The quality of teachers at JJC was unbelievably good,” he recalls. “JJC taught me how to think, what to ask. JJC gave me confidence to try new things and embrace new ideas.”
This story was originally published in the spring 2025 issue of Connections Magazine.
