Diane Plese is best known as the former wife of Robert Herjavec, the businessman and television investor from Shark Tank and Dragon’s Den. However, she had an established professional life long before Robert became a television personality.
Diane trained and worked as an optometrist in Ontario. She and Robert married in 1990, raised three children, and separated in July 2014 after about 24 years of marriage. Their split later led to a major Ontario family-law case involving property, business assets, a family trust, and spousal support.
Quick Bio
| Detail | Verified & Documented Information |
| Full Name | Diane Plese |
| Known For | Former wife of Robert Herjavec (Shark Tank); Optometrist |
| Education | Optometry degree (University of Western Ontario) |
| Profession | Healthcare Professional / Former Optometrist |
| Marriage | June 1990 (Separated July 2014; ~24 years) |
| Children | Brendan (b. 1993), Skye (b. 1996), Caprice (b. 1998) |
| Court Equalization Payment | $2,689,558 (Ontario Superior Court) |
| Spousal Support Award | $125,000 per month (Upheld on Appeal, Dec 2020) |
| Net Worth | Not publicly verified (Court net family property: ~$18.84M) |
Diane Plese Before Robert Herjavec’s Fame: Her Life and Career
Diane Plese is a Canadian healthcare professional who trained in optometry. Ontario court records state that she was born and raised in Ontario and completed a six-year optometry degree at the University of Western Ontario.
After graduating, she worked at different optometry practices before eventually operating her own office. Her professional background is important because Diane already had an independent career before Robert built the business success that later made him wealthy and famous.
She is also the mother of Robert’s three older children: Brendan, Skye, and Caprice Herjavec.
Croatian Roots and Optometry Career: Life Before Robert Herjavec’s Wealth
Robert Herjavec’s Croatian immigrant background is well documented. Diane is also frequently described online as having Croatian family roots, although detailed claims about her parents and ethnicity are harder to confirm from authoritative public records.
What is documented more clearly is Diane’s career. She worked as a full-time optometrist and ran her own office during the earlier years of her relationship with Robert. Her healthcare career was therefore established before Robert’s later success in technology and television.
Specific claims about Diane’s exact birth date or birthplace should be treated cautiously because reliable primary records do not clearly establish them.
The Eye Exam That Started It All: How She Met Robert Herjavec
Diane and Robert met through her work. Ontario court records state that Robert became one of her patients when both were in their late twenties. A personal relationship developed afterward, and they married in June 1990.
Their story began well before Shark Tank fame. In fact, Robert lost his job shortly after their honeymoon and later started Brak Enterprises. Court records note that “Brak” means “marriage” in Croatian.
Diane was therefore part of Robert’s life during the early stages of the entrepreneurial journey that eventually created considerable family wealth.
Building a Family and Sacrificing a Career: Raising Brendan, Skye, and Caprice
Diane and Robert had three children. Their son Brendan was born in 1993, followed by daughters in 1996 and 1998, publicly known as Skye and Caprice.
Motherhood changed Diane’s career. After their first child was born, she reduced her full-time optometry work and continued working part time around maternity leaves.
Around 2003, she stopped working outside the home. Court findings show that she then focused on the household and raising the children while Robert devoted more time to his growing businesses. This arrangement later became important when the court considered spousal support.
The 2014 Separation: The End of a 24-Year Marriage
Diane and Robert separated in July 2014 after approximately 24 years of marriage. Family-law proceedings began in March 2015.
Their separation attracted considerable media attention because Robert was already a successful businessman and television personality. Reports have offered different explanations for the breakdown of the marriage, including claims involving other relationships.
However, no single alleged cause should be presented as established fact. The reliable public record confirms the separation and legal timeline, while the couple’s private reasons for ending their marriage should be treated with greater care.
Inside the Ontario Court Case: Splitting Properties and the Family Trust
The financial case that followed was much more complicated than a simple divorce settlement. The Ontario Superior Court proceedings addressed equalization of net family property, spousal support, child support, real estate, business valuations, and the Robert Herjavec Family Trust.
The trust dispute also involved questions about Robert’s responsibilities as its sole trustee. The court found breaches of fiduciary duties connected with the handling and recording of trust matters, although the relevant breach was characterized as innocent and the claimed financial loss was not accepted in the way alleged.
The case required extensive financial and expert evidence.
The Divorce Ruling: Equalization and the $125,000 Monthly Support Award
The financial figures are often confused online. The court calculated Robert’s net family property at about $24.16 million and Diane’s at approximately $18.84 million.
Robert was ordered to pay Diane $2,689,558 in equalization. This was separate from the court’s order requiring him to pay $125,000 per month in spousal support for an indefinite period.
Robert appealed the spousal-support decision. In December 2020, the Court of Appeal for Ontario dismissed his appeal.
These figures should remain separate. Equalization, monthly support, property assets, and net worth are different financial concepts.
The Legal Precedent: Why Her Career Sacrifice Mattered to the Court
Diane’s earlier career became an important part of the support decision. She entered the marriage as a working professional and had operated her own optometry office.
Her paid work decreased after she became a mother. She eventually left the workforce while Robert concentrated on expanding his businesses. The court considered the economic consequences of this division of responsibilities.
Her reduced earning opportunities were relevant to compensatory support, but they were not the only factor. The length of the marriage, the couple’s financial circumstances, their lifestyle, and their respective roles were also considered.
Private Life After the Courtroom: Did She Ever Remarry?
Diane has kept her personal life largely outside the media since her separation from Robert. There is no well-established public record confirming that she entered another marriage.
That does not necessarily mean she remained single. Reliable information about any later relationship is simply limited.
Unlike Robert, Diane did not build a public career around television or celebrity media after the divorce. This privacy means claims about her current romantic life should not be presented as facts without reliable evidence.
Diane Plese’s Net Worth: Reality vs. Online Estimates
Diane Plese’s exact current net worth is not publicly verified. Online estimates sometimes place her fortune at $25 million, $50 million, or even $100 million, but these figures should not be treated as established facts.
Court records provide more useful historical numbers. Her net family property was calculated at approximately $18.84 million during the proceedings. She also received about $2.69 million in equalization and was awarded separate monthly spousal support.
Those numbers cannot simply be added together to calculate her current wealth. Her present investments, liabilities, taxes, property holdings, and other finances are not publicly known.
Where Is Diane Plese Now?
Verified information about Diane’s present-day life is limited. Some online biographies claim she lives in Toronto, but there is not enough recent authoritative evidence to state her exact current residence with certainty.
It is also unclear whether she has returned to optometry or permanently left the profession. There is little reliable evidence of an official public social-media presence.
What is clear is that Diane maintains a much lower profile than Robert. Her public story today remains centered mainly on her earlier healthcare career, her children, her long marriage, and the court proceedings that followed their separation.
Conclusion
Diane Plese’s story is more substantial than the simple label of “Robert Herjavec’s ex-wife.” She was a trained optometrist with her own career before Robert achieved major business success. After becoming a mother, she gradually reduced her professional work and eventually focused on raising their family.
Their marriage ended in 2014, followed by complex litigation involving property, businesses, a family trust, and financial support. The court’s decisions also showed why Diane’s career choices and family responsibilities mattered economically after a long marriage.
Today, her precise wealth, residence, and relationship status remain largely private. That lack of public information is worth respecting rather than filling the gaps with speculation.
FAQs
Who is Diane Plese?
Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist and the former wife of Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec. She had an established healthcare career and later became the primary caregiver for their three children.
How did Diane Plese meet Robert Herjavec?
They met through Diane’s optometry work. Court records state that Robert became her patient when they were both in their late twenties, and a relationship later developed.
How many children does Diane Plese have?
Diane and Robert have three children together: Brendan, Skye, and Caprice Herjavec. Their children were born in 1993, 1996, and 1998.
When did Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec separate?
They separated in July 2014 after approximately 24 years of marriage. Family-law proceedings began the following year.
How much spousal support was Diane Plese awarded?
The court ordered Robert to pay Diane $125,000 per month in spousal support for an indefinite duration. The Ontario Court of Appeal upheld the decision in 2020.
What was Diane Plese’s divorce equalization payment?
Robert was ordered to pay Diane approximately $2.69 million in equalization. This payment was separate from her spousal-support award.
What is Diane Plese’s net worth?
Her exact current net worth is not publicly verified. Large estimates found on celebrity websites should therefore be treated as speculation rather than confirmed financial information.
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