Posted on September 23, 2026 by Wendy Frost
Relationships matter to Ann Bohl Deacon, ’84. They are at the heart of her 32-year career as founder and CEO of Deacon Recruiting and Lux Concierge — and a defining part of how she approaches business, family and community.
Ann Deacon sitting on her office desk.
“Deacon is fortunate to have client companies that have been partners throughout the past 32 years,” said Deacon. “I am an incredibly loyal person, and we have a loyal client base.”
That loyalty extends to her employees, some of whom have been with her for more than 20 years. It also shaped her personal life. A friendship with an accounting classmate at UT San Antonio introduced her to her spouse of 38 years, Charlie Deacon.
For Deacon, building relationships has always been more than good business. It is a way of life.
And entrepreneurship came naturally to her as well. Her father was an entrepreneur, and she grew up understanding both the risks and rewards of owning a business.
“I knew at a very young age that I wanted to own businesses like my father,” she said. “I had the dream, but I wasn’t sure where that would guide me.”
After earning her bachelor’s degree in accounting from the UT San Antonio Carlos Alvarez College of Business, Deacon began her career in public accounting. Working as an auditor gave her a broad understanding of business and the opportunity to work alongside executives and observe what it takes to succeed.
Eventually, she traded accounting for entrepreneurship and launched Deacon Recruiting. Over the past three decades the company has grown into one of the largest executive search firms in Central Texas and one of only four firms in the nation accredited by the National Association of Personnel Services. Deacon was inducted into the organization’s Hall of Fame for her leadership, innovation and contributions to the executive search industry.
“I relied on relationships and people that I knew to launch my first business,” she said.
Today, Deacon Recruiting serves clients ranging from small, privately-held businesses to Fortune 100 companies.
The foundation of that success is trust — something Deacon considers especially important in an industry built on confidential relationships. She takes particular pride in helping professionals navigate their careers while helping companies make strategic hires.
Her mantra: changing one life at a time. That people-first philosophy extends to her employees, whom she calls “Deaconites.”
“It is family first at Deacon,” she said. “I view the Deaconites as my clients. I know everyone and their families personally. They are good people who care about what they are doing for our community and our clients.”
Deacon’s entrepreneurial journey took another turn when a mentee she had known for more than a decade approached her about starting and funding Lux Concierge. Deacon initially joined as an investor and adviser, but soon became CEO, developing processes and systems and building the company’s leadership team.
Founded in 2021, Lux Concierge has since become the largest concierge company in Austin, opening in every major luxury residential high-rise.
“The time and the energy that it takes to start a company is so much greater than anyone thinks,” said Deacon. “In the beginning, you live and breathe it. Start-ups are among my favorite clients because I understand how critical it is to find quality talent — and how impactful that talent is to scaling a company.”
Her curiosity and genuine desire to help others have fueled her businesses. Those same qualities drive her commitment to giving back to San Antonio.
“I believe it is important to give back to the community where you live or where you serve, and Deacon serves this community,” she said.
Her connection to UT San Antonio remains especially meaningful. Deacon credits several professors with influencing her career and showing her how classroom lessons could be applied in the real world. One of her most memorable influences; however, came from Beverly Santos, who led the university’s outplacement office.
“She understood how to connect students with companies,” Deacon said. “I hope she realized how many students she impacted in a positive way.”
Today, Deacon sees herself in a similar role — serving as a bridge between UT San Antonio and the business community. She is passionate about helping students build connections that can shape their careers and broaden their opportunities.
“I am so impressed with the students, not just at the business school, but university wide,” she said. “I’m really proud of UT San Antonio. I think they’ve come a long way and have done a remarkable job in developing young professionals.”
Deacon has continued to pay forward the support she received throughout her own career through both her time and financial support. She is a member and past chair of the Dean’s Advisory Council for the Alvarez College of Business and serves on the University of Texas Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee. Deacon Recruiting also mentors UT San Antonio women student-athletes, and Deacon presents professional development seminars throughout the university.
She and her husband established both an endowed chair and an endowed professorship in the Alvarez College of Business.
For Deacon, giving back is not simply an obligation. It is part of being connected to the place she calls home.
“If you live in a community, your job is to better that community,” said Deacon. “UT San Antonio is a vital part of our community. Why wouldn’t I want to give back to the university that has given so much to me as well as to our great city?”
— Wendy Frost
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