Who Is Diane Plese? Her Life, Career & Robert Herjavec
Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist best known as the first wife of entrepreneur and Shark Tank personality Robert Herjavec. The couple married in 1990, spent approximately 24 years together and had three children: Brendan, Skye and Caprice. Their separation in 2014 eventually led to widely reported Ontario family-court proceedings. Although Diane became publicly known through her marriage, she has largely remained outside the entertainment spotlight.
Diane Plese: Quick Biography
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Diane Plese |
| Known for | Robert Herjavec’s first wife |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Profession | Optometrist |
| Former husband | Robert Herjavec |
| Marriage year | 1990 |
| Separation year | 2014 |
| Marriage duration | Approximately 24 years |
| Children | Three |
| Children’s names | Brendan, Skye and Caprice |
| Birth date | Not independently confirmed |
| Age | Exact current age not publicly established |
| Net worth | Not publicly verified |
| Current lifestyle | Maintains a largely private public profile |
Who Is Diane Plese?
Diane Plese is a Canadian former optometrist who became widely recognized through her long marriage to Robert Herjavec. Before their relationship attracted public attention, she had her own professional background in optometry. She and Robert built a family together and raised three children during their marriage.
Unlike her former husband, whose business career and television appearances made him a recognizable public personality, Diane has maintained a relatively private life.
Her story is interesting because it connects professional life, family responsibilities, entrepreneurship and a highly publicized divorce. However, much of the reliable information available about her comes from court documents and reporting about her former marriage rather than personal interviews.
Readers interested in the families of well-known actors and entertainers can also explore Wil Bakula, the son of actor Scott Bakula and actress Chelsea Field. His background offers another glimpse into the family lives of Hollywood personalities.
Diane Plese’s Early Life and Background
Diane Plese has kept much of her early life away from public attention. Information about her childhood, parents, siblings and education is limited, and there is no sufficiently reliable public biography establishing all these details.
She is generally described as Canadian and is associated with Toronto, where she built her professional and family life.
Her Education and Professional Beginnings
Diane pursued a career in optometry, a healthcare profession concerned with examining vision and identifying and managing certain eye conditions.
Her professional background is particularly important because it shows that her identity was not originally connected to television fame or celebrity culture.
The Ontario family-court proceedings also provide useful context about her professional history. The court discussed her previous profession and the time she had spent away from the workforce during the marriage.
It is better to rely on these documented details than to assign her an unverified university, graduation year or professional qualification.
Diane Plese’s Career as an Optometrist
Before becoming known as Robert Herjavec’s former wife, Diane worked as an optometrist.
Her professional background became relevant during their divorce proceedings because the court considered the economic circumstances of both spouses and the impact of their respective roles during the marriage.
The court record discussed Diane’s inability to contribute to her own financial support through employment after spending considerable time away from her profession.
This provides an important distinction between her earlier professional identity and her financial circumstances following the marriage.
Her Professional Life During the Marriage
Robert’s technology business developed significantly during their years together. Meanwhile, Diane’s role in the household and the upbringing of their children became an important part of the family’s circumstances.
The Ontario Court of Appeal later considered the economic consequences of the marriage, including Diane’s contribution to the family partnership and her time away from professional employment.
There is insufficient reliable public information to establish whether Diane returned to practicing optometry after the divorce.
It would therefore be misleading to describe a current employer, clinic or business as confirmed.
Readers interested in the personal lives of famous sports personalities can also explore Rhonda Worthey, who is known as the former wife of NFL quarterback Troy Aikman. Her story offers another look at the family and relationships behind well-known sports figures.
Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec’s Marriage
Robert Herjavec: ‘The World Doesn’t Reward Mediocrity.’
entrepreneur.com
Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec married in 1990. Their relationship began before Robert became widely recognized as a television personality and successful entrepreneur.
They spent approximately 24 years married, building a family while Robert developed his technology business.
Their relationship eventually attracted significant media attention because of Robert’s growing public profile and the circumstances surrounding their separation.
A Marriage That Began Before Television Fame
When Diane and Robert married, Robert’s later television success was still in the future.
His entrepreneurial journey included building BRAK Systems, a Canadian internet security company that was eventually acquired by AT&T in 2000.
He later established The Herjavec Group, a cybersecurity company that helped strengthen his position in the technology industry.
The growth of his professional career took place during the years of their marriage.
Building a Family Together
Diane and Robert raised three children during their relationship. Family responsibilities and the demands of an expanding business formed important parts of their shared life.
The court proceedings later recognized the significance of Diane’s role as the primary caregiver and the economic consequences associated with the division of responsibilities during their marriage.
Their family life is one of the most documented aspects of Diane’s public story, although the children have also maintained varying degrees of privacy.
Diane Plese’s Children and Family
Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec have three children together:
- Brendan Herjavec
- Skye Herjavec
- Caprice Herjavec
Their children grew up during the years when Robert was developing his business career and gradually becoming a recognizable television personality.
Brendan Herjavec
Brendan is the eldest son of Diane and Robert. He is part of the Herjavec family and has generally maintained a more private public profile than his father.
There is limited reliable information about his personal activities, so claims about his private relationships or current professional life should be treated carefully.
Skye Herjavec
Skye is one of Diane and Robert’s two daughters. She grew up in the Herjavec family and has occasionally been mentioned in reporting about her parents.
Details about her private life should not be assumed simply because her father is a public figure.
Caprice Herjavec
Caprice is the youngest daughter of Diane and Robert. Her name also appears in the Ontario family-law proceedings involving the family’s financial arrangements and child support.
The court decision discussed child support relating to the youngest daughter while she was attending university.
Family context: Diane’s three children are an important part of her biography, but their personal lives deserve the same privacy considerations as those of other family members.
Readers interested in the children of well-known Hollywood actors can also explore Imani Cheadle, the daughter of actor Don Cheadle. Her story offers another look at the family connections behind famous entertainment personalities.
Why Did Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec Divorce?
Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec separated in 2014 after approximately 24 years of marriage. Their separation became public in March 2015, when Robert confirmed that the relationship had ended.
The exact private circumstances behind their decision have not been fully documented. However, Robert later offered some insight into the difficulties they experienced.
Robert’s Public Comments About the Separation
In a 2015 interview with People, Robert described the relationship as one in which the couple had been good parents and a strong team but had gradually drifted apart.
He also spoke publicly about the emotional difficulty of the separation.
His comments provide some insight into his perspective, but they should not be treated as a complete explanation of Diane’s personal feelings or the private reasons behind the marriage ending. E! Online+1
Did Robert Herjavec’s New Relationship Cause the Divorce?
Robert later appeared on Dancing with the Stars, where he was partnered with professional dancer Kym Johnson.
Their professional partnership eventually developed into a romantic relationship, and they married in 2016.
However, Robert and Diane’s separation had already occurred in 2014. It would therefore be inaccurate to state as an established fact that Kym caused their marriage to end.
The responsible approach is to distinguish the confirmed relationship timeline from speculation about the private circumstances of the separation.
Diane Plese’s Divorce Settlement Explained
One of the most widely discussed aspects of Diane Plese’s biography is her divorce from Robert Herjavec.
The proceedings became particularly notable because of the financial issues considered by the Ontario courts.
Rather than relying on headlines suggesting a simple multimillion-dollar settlement, the actual legal decision provides a clearer explanation.
What Did the Court Award Diane Plese?
In December 2018, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice made several financial orders following the couple’s family-law trial.
The relevant figures included:
| Financial order | Amount |
|---|---|
| Property equalization payment | C$2,689,558 |
| Monthly spousal support | C$125,000 |
| Monthly child support | C$14,233 |
| Child support period | May–August while the youngest daughter remained in university |
These were separate legal obligations, not one combined settlement figure.
The distinction matters because property equalization and ongoing spousal support serve different purposes under Canadian family law.
What Happened in the 2020 Appeal?
Robert challenged the spousal support order.
The matter reached the Ontario Court of Appeal under the case name Plese v. Herjavec, 2020 ONCA 810.
On December 16, 2020, the appeal court dismissed his appeal and upheld the spousal support order.
The decision considered the length of the marriage, the financial circumstances of both parties, Diane’s time away from her profession and the economic consequences of their family arrangements. minicounsel+2
The important legal distinction
- C$2,689,558 was the equalization payment.
- C$125,000 was the monthly spousal support order.
- C$14,233 was the specified monthly child support order for the relevant university period.
These figures should never be presented as a single C$25 million cash settlement.
Why Was Spousal Support Awarded?
The court considered the economic consequences of the marriage, including Diane’s role in raising their children and the time she had spent away from her previous profession.
It also examined the parties’ financial positions and their respective ability to generate income.
The decision illustrates that a long marriage can have financial consequences extending beyond the division of property.
For Diane’s biography, this legal history is important because it explains why the divorce attracted considerable public attention.
Diane Plese’s Life After Divorce
Following her separation from Robert, Diane has maintained a relatively low public profile.
Unlike her former husband, she has not become a regular television personality or entertainment-media figure.
Most publicly available information about her continues to relate to her marriage, family and the legal proceedings.
What Is Known About Her Current Life?
There is limited reliable reporting about Diane’s everyday activities.
Her present employment, exact residence and relationship status have not been independently established through sufficiently reliable public sources.
It is important not to confuse a lack of public information with evidence that someone has disappeared or withdrawn completely from society.
Diane may simply prefer to keep her personal life private.
Is Diane Plese Still Practicing Optometry?
Diane is publicly associated with her former profession as an optometrist.
However, reliable recent information confirming whether she currently practices optometry is limited.
Her professional history should therefore be described in the past tense where appropriate, rather than claiming she currently operates a clinic or works for a particular organization.
Readers interested in the families of Hollywood actors can also explore Taryn Van Dyke, who is known as the daughter of actor Barry Van Dyke and a member of the Van Dyke entertainment family. Her story offers another glimpse into the family connections behind well-known television personalities.
Diane Plese’s Age, Net Worth and Personal Life
Several celebrity biography websites publish specific figures about Diane’s age and wealth. However, those claims are not necessarily supported by reliable primary sources.
Here is what can responsibly be established.
How Old Is Diane Plese?
Diane Plese’s exact birth date has not been independently established through a reliable public record.
The court proceedings discussed her age as 56 at the time relevant to the trial. That is a historical reference, not confirmation of her current age or birthday.
Consequently, assigning her a precise age in 2026 without further verification would be misleading. minicounsel
What Is Diane Plese’s Net Worth?
Diane Plese’s current net worth is not publicly verified.
Online estimates often repeat figures without explaining how they were calculated or what assets they include.
The court decision provides historical financial information about the parties’ net family property, but that information should not be confused with Diane’s current personal net worth.
The legal proceedings included an equalization payment of C$2,689,558 and a separate monthly spousal support order of C$125,000.
Neither figure, by itself, establishes her present-day wealth.
Is Diane Plese Married Again?
There is no sufficiently reliable public confirmation establishing that Diane has remarried.
Because she maintains a private personal life, it is better to leave her current relationship status unconfirmed rather than repeat unsupported claims.
What Is Diane Plese’s Nationality?
Diane is generally identified as Canadian in public biographical coverage.
However, detailed information about her citizenship, birthplace and family origins is limited.
Robert Herjavec’s Life and Career After the Marriage
Robert Herjavec Net Worth in 2024: How the ‘Shark Tank’ Star Made His Millions in the Tech Industry
Although Diane Plese is the focus of this biography, understanding Robert’s career helps explain why their relationship became a subject of public interest.
Robert Herjavec is a technology entrepreneur, investor and television personality known for his appearances on Shark Tank and Canada’s Dragons’ Den.
He founded BRAK Systems, a technology company that was acquired by AT&T in 2000. He subsequently founded Herjavec Group, which became known for its cybersecurity work. Beyond the Tank+1
His Second Marriage to Kym Johnson
Robert met professional dancer Kym Johnson while participating in Dancing with the Stars in 2015.
Their professional partnership developed into a relationship, and the couple married in 2016.
They later welcomed twins, Hudson and Haven.
Robert’s current family life is separate from his earlier marriage to Diane. Keeping those two chapters distinct helps readers understand his family history without confusing the children from his two relationships. Robert Herjavec+1
Diane Plese’s Story: A Life Beyond Celebrity Headlines
Diane Plese’s public story is closely connected to Robert Herjavec, but her biography involves more than her former marriage.
She had a professional background in optometry, helped raise three children and spent nearly a quarter of a century in a marriage that became the subject of significant legal proceedings.
The Ontario Court of Appeal decision provides an unusually detailed public record of the financial consequences of that relationship.
At the same time, many details of Diane’s personal life remain private. Her exact birth date, current net worth and present professional activities should not be presented as established facts without better evidence.
A responsible biography recognizes both what the public record establishes and what it does not.
Readers interested in the children of famous television stars may also want to explore Trey Kulley Majors, the son of actor Lee Majors. His background offers another look at the family lives of well-known Hollywood personalities.
Frequently Asked Questions About Diane Plese
1. Who is Diane Plese?
Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist best known as the former wife of entrepreneur and Shark Tank personality Robert Herjavec. They married in 1990, separated in 2014 and have three children together.
2. How old is Diane Plese?
Her exact birth date and current age have not been independently confirmed. Historical Ontario court proceedings described her as 56 at the relevant time during the trial.
3. What does Diane Plese do for a living?
Diane is known for her professional background in optometry. Reliable recent information confirming her current employment or professional practice is not publicly established.
4. Was Diane Plese Robert Herjavec’s first wife?
Yes. Diane Plese was Robert Herjavec’s first wife. They married in 1990 and separated in 2014 after approximately 24 years together.
5. When did Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec get married?
Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec married in 1990, before Robert became widely recognized through his television appearances and entrepreneurial success.
6. How many children does Diane Plese have?
Diane and Robert have three children: Brendan, Skye and Caprice Herjavec.
7. Why did Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec divorce?
The couple separated in 2014. Robert publicly said that they had been good parents and a good team but had gradually drifted apart. Their complete private reasons for separating have not been publicly established.
8. What did Diane Plese receive in the divorce?
The Ontario Superior Court ordered a C$2,689,558 property equalization payment and C$125,000 in monthly spousal support, alongside a separate child support order. The spousal support order was upheld on appeal in 2020.
9. What is Diane Plese’s net worth?
Diane Plese’s current net worth is not publicly verified. Online estimates should not be treated as confirmed financial information.
10. Where is Diane Plese now?
Diane maintains a largely private public profile. Reliable recent reporting does not establish her exact current residence, employment or everyday activities.