Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist best known as the former wife of entrepreneur and television personality Robert Herjavec, a familiar face on ABC’s Shark Tank. Before their separation, the couple shared a marriage of approximately 24 years and raised three children together.
Although Robert became a recognizable television investor and successful businessman, Diane maintained a comparatively private public profile. She had her own career in optometry before gradually stepping away from professional work to focus on their family.
Her name later attracted considerable attention during the couple’s high-profile divorce proceedings in Ontario, which involved substantial property division and a significant spousal support award.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Diane Plese |
| Known For | Robert Herjavec’s former wife |
| Profession | Optometrist |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Birth Date | Not reliably confirmed |
| Age | Not publicly established |
| Birthplace | Toronto, Canada (reported) |
| Former Husband | Robert Herjavec |
| Marriage Year | 1990 |
| Separation | 2014 |
| Divorce | 2016 (reported) |
| Children | Three |
| Children’s Names | Brendan, Skye, and Caprice |
| Known Residence | Canada (historical connection) |
| Current Profession | Not publicly confirmed |
| Net Worth | Not reliably established |
Early Life and Background
Diane Plese has maintained considerable privacy about her early life. Publicly available information about her parents, siblings, childhood, and upbringing is limited.
She is associated with Toronto, Ontario, where she developed her professional career in optometry.
Her background became more widely discussed after her relationship with Robert Herjavec attracted media attention. However, details such as her exact birth date, childhood education, and family history are not sufficiently established through authoritative public records.
Rather than relying on conflicting online biographies, it is more accurate to focus on the details documented in her professional and family history.
Education and Optometry Career
Diane Plese trained as an optometrist and established her own professional practice.
Optometry involves examining eyesight, identifying vision problems, prescribing corrective lenses, and assessing aspects of eye health. It requires specialized education and clinical training.
According to the account of her marriage examined in the Ontario Court of Appeal proceedings, Diane operated her own optometry office and worked full-time during the early years of her marriage.
Her professional work was particularly important during the early stages of Robert’s entrepreneurial career.
The court recognized that her financial contributions helped support the couple’s growing business and family life.
Why Did Diane Stop Practicing Optometry?
Diane gradually reduced her working hours after becoming a mother.
In 1993, following the birth of the couple’s first child, she began working part-time. She continued balancing professional work with family responsibilities during subsequent maternity periods.
As Robert’s business expanded, Diane eventually stopped working outside the home and took responsibility for household management and raising their children.
The court proceedings identified 2003 as the point from which she was no longer able to contribute to her own support through employment.
Her extended absence from professional practice later became an important consideration in the divorce case.
How Diane Plese Met Robert Herjavec
Diane Plese met Robert Herjavec before he became widely known through television.
Robert was building his career in business and technology, while Diane was working as an optometrist.
Their professional and personal paths eventually brought them together, and they married in 1990.
The relationship began long before Robert became a television personality through Dragon’s Den and Shark Tank.
Their early marriage included years of business development, professional work, and raising a family.
Marriage to Robert Herjavec
Diane and Robert Herjavec married in 1990. Their relationship lasted approximately 24 years before they separated in 2014.
During the marriage, Robert developed his business interests in technology and cybersecurity, while Diane increasingly focused on family responsibilities.
Robert later became internationally recognizable through his appearances on business television programs, particularly Shark Tank.
The couple built a substantial family and financial life together, including valuable properties and an affluent lifestyle.
Despite their public connection, Diane generally avoided the media attention associated with Robert’s television career.
Who Is Robert Herjavec?
Robert Herjavec is a Canadian entrepreneur, investor, and television personality.
He founded the Herjavec Group, a cybersecurity company, and became known to television audiences through the Canadian program Dragon’s Den and the American investment show Shark Tank.
His television appearances helped introduce him to a much wider audience, while his business ventures established his reputation in the technology industry.
Robert later married professional dancer Kym Johnson in 2016.
Diane Plese’s Children
Diane and Robert have three children: Brendan, Skye, and Caprice Herjavec.
Their children have largely developed their own professional interests rather than relying on their father’s television career.
Brendan Herjavec
Brendan is the eldest child of Diane and Robert.
He has pursued education and professional opportunities in business and strategy. His background includes studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, Yale University, and the University of British Columbia, according to published profiles.
He has also been associated with business operations and entrepreneurship.
Skye Herjavec
Skye is one of Diane’s daughters.
She attended the University of Southern California and has been associated with business and finance.
Her professional background includes experience in investment banking and business-related work.
Caprice Herjavec
Caprice is Diane’s youngest daughter.
She attended Barnard College and has been associated with rowing and professional work in consulting.
The three siblings have occasionally attracted public attention because of their father’s television career, but they have generally maintained their own identities.
Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec’s Divorce
Diane and Robert separated in 2014 after approximately 24 years of marriage.
Their separation became public in 2015, and the divorce proceedings developed into a significant family-law case in Ontario.
The financial issues involved property division, business valuations, and spousal support.
The case attracted particular attention because of the couple’s substantial assets and the court’s consideration of Diane’s contributions during the marriage.
The Financial Settlement
The Ontario Superior Court proceedings resulted in an equalization payment of approximately CAD $2.69 million to Diane.
The trial court also ordered Robert to pay CAD $125,000 per month in spousal support for an indefinite period.
A child-support order was also made for the youngest daughter while she attended university.
Robert challenged the spousal support ruling, but the Ontario Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal in 2020.
The case became notable in Canadian family law because it examined the financial consequences of a long marriage in which one partner reduced and eventually left paid employment to manage family responsibilities.
The judgment also recognized the importance of Diane’s earlier financial contributions to Robert’s business success.
These court-ordered amounts should not be confused with an independently verified estimate of Diane’s present-day wealth.
Life After Divorce
Following her separation from Robert, Diane maintained a relatively private lifestyle.
Unlike her former husband, who continued appearing in business and entertainment media, she did not establish a similarly prominent public profile.
There is limited reliable information about her current professional activities, personal relationships, or day-to-day life.
The court record provides information about her financial circumstances during the divorce proceedings, but it does not establish every aspect of her life today.
Her current residence and employment status have not been reliably confirmed.
Diane Plese’s Net Worth
Diane Plese’s current personal net worth has not been independently established.
Her divorce proceedings involved substantial financial assets, including an equalization payment and spousal support.
However, a historical court award is not the same as a current net-worth calculation.
Her present assets, investments, expenses, and financial arrangements are not publicly documented in sufficient detail to support a reliable figure.
For that reason, assigning her a specific net worth would be speculative.
Interesting Facts About Diane Plese
- Professional background: Diane trained and worked as an optometrist before stepping away from her practice.
- Entrepreneurial partnership: Her early financial contributions were recognized during the legal proceedings involving Robert Herjavec.
- Long marriage: She and Robert married in 1990 and separated in 2014.
- Three children: Their children are Brendan, Skye, and Caprice.
- Family responsibilities: She gradually moved from full-time professional work to managing the household and raising the children.
- Major court case: Her divorce proceedings became a notable Canadian family-law case.
- Private lifestyle: She has generally stayed away from television appearances and celebrity publicity.
- Appeal decision: The Ontario Court of Appeal dismissed Robert’s appeal concerning the spousal support order in 2020.
Frequently Asked Questions About Diane Plese
1. Who is Diane Plese?
Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist best known as the former wife of businessman and Shark Tank personality Robert Herjavec.
2. What was Diane Plese’s profession?
She worked as an optometrist and operated her own office before gradually leaving professional employment to focus on family responsibilities.
3. When did Diane Plese marry Robert Herjavec?
Diane and Robert married in 1990. They separated in 2014 after approximately 24 years together.
4. How many children does Diane Plese have?
She has three children with Robert Herjavec: Brendan, Skye, and Caprice.
5. Why did Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec divorce?
The couple separated in 2014. Their private reasons for ending the marriage should not be assumed beyond what has been publicly documented.
6. How much did Diane Plese receive in the divorce?
The Ontario court ordered an equalization payment of approximately CAD $2.69 million and spousal support of CAD $125,000 per month for an indefinite period. The spousal support order was upheld on appeal in 2020.
7. How old is Diane Plese?
Her exact birth date has not been reliably established. The Ontario court record stated that she was 56 at the time of the 2018 trial.
8. Is Diane Plese still an optometrist?
Her current professional status is not publicly confirmed. The court record indicates that she had stopped working outside the home around 2003.
9. What is Diane Plese doing now?
She maintains a private public profile. Reliable recent information about her current occupation, residence, and personal activities is limited.
10. What is Diane Plese’s net worth?
Her current net worth is unknown. Divorce-related financial awards do not provide enough information to calculate her present wealth.
Conclusion
Diane Plese’s biography is about more than her former marriage to Robert Herjavec. She established a career in optometry, contributed financially during the early years of their relationship, and later devoted much of her time to raising their three children.
Her divorce became an important legal case in Ontario because of its examination of financial contributions, family responsibilities, and spousal support after a lengthy marriage.
Although Diane continues to maintain a private public profile, her professional background and documented role in the Herjavec family story provide a clearer picture of her life beyond celebrity headlines.
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