Our History

Recovering Alcoholic Puts it All on the Line to Help Others

In 1974, J. William (Bill) Hood, Jr. was at the pinnacle of his career.  After 27 years with the Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA), he had worked his way up the corporate ladder from production engineer to the company’s upper management echelon.  During his tenure with ALCOA, Bill managed profits and losses of $100 million in annual revenues for the world’s largest non-ferrous facility and was involved in the implementation of new manufacturing plants across the country and throughout the world.

However, the outwardly successful corporate executive was hiding a grim secret – a destructive problem which at first he denied, even to himself.  Bill Hood was an alcoholic.

His path of destruction took hold of his wife and four children.  Consequences began to catch up to him at work.  Bill’s wife, Jean, reached the end of her rope at home and decided to move to Tennessee to be near family.  As his son, John, remembers, “Dad and his vodka bottle were the last things to be moved out of the house.  We weren’t sure if he was coming or not.” 

In 1979, Bill reached bottom, entered treatment, and began his journey of recovery.  After completing treatment, he volunteered his time to work at the local treatment center.  His personal experience as a recovering alcoholic gave Bill a special ability to relate to chemically-dependent patients, and he was later hired at the treatment center as full-time staff.

In 1989, with a vision of taking treatment to its highest level, Bill Hood, now 65 and at retirement age, mortgaged his family’s home and collected all of his savings to begin Cornerstone of Recovery, a comprehensive residential treatment center.  It was a huge risk, but it was something he believed in his heart he needed to do. 

Sadly, in October of 1993, Bill Hood died suddenly.  His legacy and his vision, however, live on as his loyal employees and family work together to fulfill his mission.  Shortly before Bill died, he placed Cornerstone in the hands of Dan Caldwell, his friend and loyal co-worker.  Under Dan’s direction, Cornerstone has gone from 22 residential beds and 18 staff members to 80 beds and 160 employees.

“Dad would be so amazed and proud to see what Cornerstone has become today,” says his son, John W. Hood, III.  “I know he dreamed big, but I don’t think he could have ever imagined the difference his dream has made in the lives of so many over the years.”