PEOPLE OF INTEREST
TOM DEAHN
Age: 52
Lives in: Port St. Lucie
Occupation: Director of event
management at the Hutchinson
Shores Resort and Spa
Family: Wife, Patty; daughter,
Carol; sons, Mateo and
Hercules
Education: Bachelor of Arts
degree in business administration and management from
Heidelberg College and master’s degree in administrative
science from University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
Hobbies: Football, football, football!
Who/what inspires me: “My wife, Patty, my dad and Coach
Greg Quick.”
Something most people don’t know about me: “Won the
2009 National Director of Football Operations of the Year
award — votes taken by college head football coaches and
my peers.”
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a personal trainer at a gym for that first year to make it all
work before I was hired on full time.”
Deahn moved on to St. Norbert College and after eight
years of being a position coach and defensive coordinator
there, moved up the ranks. He was offered a position as
director of football operations for the University of Maryland.
He oversaw budgets, coordinated logistics involved with
recruiting and served as a liaison between coaches and other
staff members.
“I spent seven years at Maryland and one of my best
memories was playing in the 2002 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
against Tennessee,” he said. “Nobody thought we could
win the game because Tennessee was loaded. We ended up
winning the game 30-3. The team arrived back at the hotel to
over 5,000 people hanging over railings, yelling and singing
our fight song.”
He said the memory alone still gives him goosebumps.
“There were so many great and interesting memories that
my plan is to write a book when I retire,” Deahn said. “The
best ones are often related to the bonds with the players.”
After Maryland, Deahn spent time in similar positions at
Temple and the University of Miami. But a few years ago,
Deahn made another change and steered toward a less stressful
and, comparatively, more laid-back career choice, hospitality
management.
He knew that his experience setting up travel accommodations,
appointments and meals for the teams would benefit
him in this field.
When asked why he left football, Deahn said “When your
whole family’s livelihood depends on 18 to 22-year-old kids’
decisions, you realize, it’s insanity.”
Deahn knew he “wanted to remain in the beauty of Florida.”
He joined a group of luxury hotels and resorts in South
Florida and started out assisting with events at Delray Sands
in Boynton Beach.
“I was able to prove myself and accelerate quickly,” he
said. “Within the course of the year, I helped bring 30-50
percent more business than the property had experienced
before.”
With that success, he was hired as the director of event
management at the Hutchinson Shores Resort and Spa in
Jensen Beach, part of Ocean Properties Hotels and Resorts.
The resort was built in the old Holiday Inn building, which
was destroyed by hurricanes 12 years ago and left abandoned
since. It has been a huge economic boost for the area and
Deahn is proud to be a part of it.
Deahn still finds his work challenging, but with a much
less demanding schedule. At most, he is working 50 hour
weeks versus 80-90 hour weeks in football. He is also still in
an operations role, which he very much enjoyed in his football
career.
“No matter how crummy I may feel on any given day, I
look out on the water in Jensen and take a sigh of relief,” he
said. “I remind myself, there is no need to be stressed.”
Having moved from Broward County just a year ago,
Deahn is enjoying the Treasure Coast and quickly becoming
part of the local community. He and his wife attend the St.
Lucie and Martin counties chamber of commerce events to
represent the hotel and have a lot of fun meeting the locals.
Deahn continues to keep in touch with former players
and misses the comradery, but said he loves the change of
pace here. He also plans to become involved with some local
youth sports groups in the area.
People
During his time at Temple University, Deahn was named National Director
of Football Operations of the Year, an award voted on by college football
coaches and his peers.
“The Treasure Coast has felt a lot like my hometown,” he
said. “It is much quieter and feels more like the country to me.”
Deahn was involved with the Equine Rescue and Adoption
Foundation of Palm City for about six months when he first
moved to the area. Now that he is more settled, he hopes to
go back and provide his horse-handling skills and time.
“The most important part of all, is that I have time for my
wife and family, which wasn’t the case before. That is truly a
blessing,” Deahn said.