From Stories of Recovery.org, a bio of Hank Parkhurst, driving force behind the Big Book and author of To Employers:
Hank Parkhurst (1895-1954)
Hank was the first alcoholic to become sober in New York, following Bill Wilson. Hank was an executive of Standard Oil of New Jersey who lost his job due to alcoholism. Bill worked with Hank at Towns Hospital. After becoming sober, Hank started “Honors Dealers,” a co-op company based in Newark, New Jersey, that bought bulk automotive supplies and sold them directly to small Mom and Pop gas stations. Hank gave Bill office space and made Ruth Hock available for dictation. Ruth typed out the first draft copy of the Big Book. When funds ran low, Hank and Bill formed Works Publishing, Inc., which sold 600 shares at $25 each to finance the writing and publishing of the Big Book. Evicted from their house at 182 Clinton Street in Brooklyn, Bill and Lois lived with Hank and his wife Kathleen. Hank is the person Dr. Silkworth referred to in “The Doctors Opinion” - a case of pathological mental deterioration. Hank had significant input into the chapter “To Employers.” Some believe he wrote the majority of the chapter. His story is “The Unbeliever” in the first edition. He is also referred to in the book “Pass It On” on page 200. Bill would bring the typed manuscript each week to the weekly meeting for review. He also would mail a copy to Dr. Bob for the same purpose. During these reviews, Hank, an agnostic, joined by Jim Burwell, argued avoidance of references to God. The result was a compromise that produced the phrase “God as we understood him.” After the book was published, Bill moved the office to Manhattan for better access to the population he hoped to serve. Bill purchased the office furniture from Hank, but the situation created strong resentment in Hank. The fact that Lois testified against Hank in court during his divorce proceeding from Kathleen probably added to the flames of resentment. After four years of sobriety, Hank began drinking again in 1940, although he did experience short periods of not drinking during the rest of his life. His resentment and hurt toward Bill resulted in the spread of discord among AA members, claiming financial misconduct by Bill and Dr. Bob. Hank enlisted his soon to be brother-in-law, Clarence Snyder in Cleveland in his cause. Hank married his 2nd wife, Caroline Wright, the sister of Clarence's wife Dorothy "Dot". As the allegations spread across the membership a committee, composed of members, was formed to investigate the allegations. This committee conducted a hearing with Bill, Bob, and their accusers in the same room. The decision reached was no wrongdoings had taken place so the allegations were put to rest. Hank and Caroline divorced, and Hank remarried his first wife Kathleen. Sadly Hank died in January of 1954, the obituary listed the cause as illness, but many claimed it to be alcohol and drugs. But without Hank, the publication of the Big Book would never have occurred.
Link to a talk by Ruth Hock, AA's first secretary, on Hank and Bill working together on the Big Book, and another link for more info on Hank:
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