Diane Plese: The Untold Story of Robert Herjavec’s Ex-Wife

Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist who built a professional career in eye care. Born in Toronto, she later became known beyond her profession because of her connection with Robert Herjavec.

She became widely recognized as the former wife of entrepreneur, investor, and Shark Tank personality Robert Herjavec. Their long marriage, three children, and highly discussed divorce brought considerable attention to Diane.

This biography explores Diane Plese’s early life, Canadian background, optometry career, marriage to Robert Herjavec, divorce settlement, children, financial life, and what her life looks like after their separation today.

Quick Bio

Who Is Diane Plese?

Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist and the former wife of businessman Robert Herjavec. She spent many years working in eye care while also supporting her family during Robert’s growing business career.

Her name became familiar to the public through her marriage to Robert. He later became internationally recognized as an entrepreneur, investor, television personality, and regular investor on the popular business program Shark Tank.

Diane has lived a much quieter life than her former husband. Even during their years together, she was mainly focused on her profession, marriage, children, and family instead of building a public entertainment career.

Diane Plese’s Early Life

Diane Plese was born in 1959 in Parkdale, Toronto, Canada. She grew up in Canada and came from a family with Croatian roots, as her parents were Croatian immigrants.

Her childhood was spent away from the type of public attention she would experience later in life. She focused on her education and eventually chose a professional career in the medical field.

Diane has kept many details about her childhood and early family life private. Her later life became much better known after her relationship with Robert Herjavec developed into a long-term marriage.

Diane Plese’s Age

Diane Plese was born in 1959, making her around 67 years old in 2026. She spent much of her early adulthood studying before beginning her professional career as an optometrist.

Her exact birthday is not included in the available biographical details. Her birth year, however, provides a general picture of her age and the period in which she completed her professional education.

Diane was already working as an eye doctor when she first crossed paths with Robert Herjavec. That meeting eventually became the beginning of an important new chapter in both of their lives.

Diane Plese’s Nationality and Family Background

Diane is Canadian because she was born and raised in Canada. Her birthplace is listed as Parkdale, a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, where she spent her early years.

Although Diane is Canadian, her family has Croatian roots. Her parents were Croatian immigrants, giving her a cultural background that later connected naturally with Robert Herjavec’s Croatian heritage.

Her Croatian family background also played a part in her wedding. Diane and Robert eventually married in a Croatian church in Mississauga, Ontario, after dating for approximately two years.

Education and Professional Training

Diane pursued higher education before entering the field of optometry. She earned a college degree during the late 1970s and then continued her education through an optometry program.

She completed her professional optometry studies during the early 1980s. Her training prepared her to work directly with patients and build an independent professional identity as an eye care specialist.

By the middle of the 1980s, Diane had started working professionally as an optometrist. Her career would also indirectly lead to her meeting the man who later became her husband.

Diane Plese’s Career as an Optometrist

Diane Plese established herself professionally as an optometrist. Her work involved eye care, and she practiced in the profession for several years after completing her education and professional training.

Her career is especially important because it was through her work that she met Robert Herjavec. Their first encounter reportedly happened when Robert visited the eye clinic where Diane was working.

Unlike Robert, Diane did not pursue a television or entertainment career. She maintained a comparatively private professional identity, even as her husband became increasingly successful in business and later became a television personality.

How Diane Plese Met Robert Herjavec

Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec first met in 1988. Robert reportedly visited the eye clinic where Diane worked for an eye examination, creating the circumstances that brought the future couple together.

Their initial meeting soon developed into a romantic relationship. Diane and Robert dated for approximately two years before deciding to make a long-term commitment and begin married life together.

Their relationship began before Robert achieved the level of wealth and television fame he later enjoyed. Diane therefore experienced both his earlier entrepreneurial years and his later rise as a successful businessman.

Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec’s Wedding

Diane and Robert married in 1990 after dating for about two years. Their wedding took place at a Croatian church located in Mississauga, Ontario, reflecting their shared connection to Croatian heritage.

After their wedding, Diane and Robert started building their family and financial future together. Robert was still developing his entrepreneurial career, while Diane had already established herself professionally as an optometrist.

Their marriage eventually lasted for more than two decades. During that period, they became parents, experienced Robert’s growing business success, and accumulated considerable wealth as their family circumstances changed.

Diane’s Role During Robert Herjavec’s Early Business Career

Diane was married to Robert while he was developing his career as an entrepreneur. She was by his side when he established BRAK Systems, an internet security software integration company.

Robert initially operated the company from the family’s basement. His entrepreneurial efforts eventually proved highly successful and dramatically changed the financial circumstances of Diane, Robert, and their growing family.

In 2000, Robert sold BRAK Systems to AT&T Canada, which later became Allstream Inc. The transaction was valued at approximately $30.2 million and represented an important milestone in his business career.

Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec’s Marriage

Diane and Robert spent approximately 24 years together as a married couple before separating. During their marriage, Robert transformed from an aspiring businessman into a wealthy entrepreneur and recognizable television investor.

The couple also raised three children together. Their family included one son and two daughters, and Diane maintained her role as a mother while Robert’s professional responsibilities and public profile continued to expand.

Their marriage eventually experienced serious difficulties. Diane and Robert separated in July 2014, ending more than two decades of married life and beginning a lengthy process that ultimately resulted in divorce.

Why Did Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec Separate?

Diane and Robert disclosed that they had separated on July 24, 2014. Their separation attracted significant attention because Robert had become a recognizable businessman and television personality by that time.

Their marriage faced difficulties before the separation. Robert was linked to actress Danielle Vasinova during this period, and reports surrounding the relationship became closely associated with discussions about the breakdown of his marriage.

Despite the difficult circumstances, Robert publicly expressed his desire for love and peace for his family. The couple then moved forward with the legal process required to formally end their marriage.

Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec’s Divorce

Diane filed for divorce in March 2015 following the couple’s separation. The end of their long marriage became highly publicized because of Robert’s wealth, business success, and growing television profile.

The divorce process involved major financial matters because the couple had accumulated substantial assets during their marriage. Their wealth included valuable properties and resources connected to Robert’s successful entrepreneurial ventures.

Their divorce was eventually finalized in 2016. The settlement marked the legal end of a marriage that had begun in 1990 and lasted through several major changes in their personal and professional lives.

Diane Plese’s Divorce Settlement

Diane received a substantial financial settlement following the divorce. Robert was ordered to make support payments while the division of their considerable marital assets also became an important part of the proceedings.

The settlement included approximately $25 million from Robert’s wealth. Diane also received valuable real estate, including the family’s Caledon ski chalet and a property located in Florida.

Robert was also ordered to pay $125,000 per month in spousal and child support. The financial outcome of the divorce significantly contributed to discussions surrounding Diane’s wealth after the marriage ended.

Diane Plese’s Net Worth

Diane Plese’s net worth has been estimated at around $100 million. Her financial position is associated with both her professional career and the substantial assets she received following her divorce.

Diane worked professionally as an optometrist for years. However, the divorce settlement involving Robert Herjavec’s extensive wealth became an especially significant part of her financial circumstances after their separation.

The reported $25 million settlement and valuable properties added to her assets. Her financial life has therefore remained one of the most frequently discussed aspects of her biography following the divorce.

Diane Plese’s Children

Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec became parents to three children during their marriage. They have one son, Brendan, and two daughters named Skye and Caprice.

Their children have developed careers and interests of their own. Although they grew up with a highly successful entrepreneur as their father, each has pursued a different professional direction in adulthood.

Diane’s role as a mother has remained an important part of her life. Her children also represent the lasting family connection between Diane and Robert despite the end of their marriage.

Who Is Brendan Herjavec?

Brendan is Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec’s eldest child and their only son. He was born in 1993 while his parents were still building their family and professional lives.

As an adult, Brendan entered the business world. He has worked in business strategy and development, giving him a professional connection to the broader commercial field in which his father achieved major success.

Brendan has generally maintained a lower public profile than Robert. His professional path shows that the business interests associated with the Herjavec family have continued into the next generation.

Who Is Skye Herjavec?

Skye is Diane and Robert’s second child. She was born in 1996 and grew up during a period when her father’s entrepreneurial career had become increasingly successful.

She later developed her own professional identity as a business executive and entrepreneur. Her career reflects an interest in business while allowing her to establish achievements separate from her father’s television fame.

Like her mother and siblings, Skye has generally maintained greater privacy than Robert. Her professional activities nevertheless show that entrepreneurship has remained an important influence within the Herjavec family.

Who Is Caprice Herjavec?

Caprice is the youngest of Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec’s three children. She was born in 1998, approximately eight years after her parents married.

During college, Caprice distinguished herself as an athlete. Her athletic background became one of the notable aspects of her younger years before she eventually moved into a professional business-related career.

Caprice later began working as a consultant at an executive compensation consulting firm. Like her siblings, she has built a professional identity while generally remaining outside the intense celebrity spotlight surrounding her father.

Robert Herjavec’s Life After Diane Plese

After his marriage to Diane ended, Robert began a relationship with professional dancer Kym Johnson. She is an Australian dancer widely recognized through her involvement with Dancing with the Stars.

Robert and Kym eventually married in 2016, the same year his divorce from Diane was finalized. Their relationship introduced another major personal chapter in the entrepreneur and television personality’s life.

The couple later expanded their family. Robert and Kym welcomed twins, Haven and Hudson, in April 2018, making Robert a father again after his three older children with Diane.

Where Is Diane Plese Now?

Diane Plese continues to be associated with Toronto, Canada. Since her divorce, she has largely remained outside the entertainment spotlight and has not developed the same public media presence as her former husband.

Her private lifestyle is consistent with how she lived during much of her marriage. Although she attended events with Robert, she was primarily known as an optometrist, wife, and mother rather than a television celebrity.

Public interest in Diane continues because of her long marriage to Robert, their children, and their major divorce settlement. Still, she appears to have chosen a quieter life after their relationship ended.

Diane Plese’s Life Beyond Her Famous Marriage

Diane is frequently introduced through her connection to Robert Herjavec, but her biography also includes her own professional accomplishments. She completed higher education and established a career in optometry before Robert achieved widespread television fame.

She also experienced major changes throughout more than two decades of marriage. Diane witnessed Robert’s transition from an entrepreneur building a company from the family basement to a multimillionaire businessman and television investor.

Following the divorce, Diane largely stepped away from public attention. Her story today combines her Croatian-Canadian family background, medical career, motherhood, long marriage, significant divorce, and preference for a private lifestyle.

Final Thoughts

Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist whose life became widely discussed because of her marriage to Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec. However, she had already developed her own professional career before their relationship brought public attention.

Her marriage lasted for more than two decades and included major family and financial milestones. Diane and Robert raised three children together while Robert built successful companies and became an internationally recognized television personality.

After their separation and divorce, Diane returned to a largely private life in Canada. Today, she remains known for her optometry career, Croatian background, three children, and long history with Robert Herjavec.

(FAQs)

Who is Diane Plese?

Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist best known as the former wife of entrepreneur and Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec. She was born in Toronto in 1959 and has Croatian family roots.

How old is Diane Plese?

Diane Plese was born in 1959. Based on her reported birth year, she is around 67 years old in 2026. She spent much of her adult life working as an optometrist.

How long were Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec married?

Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec married in 1990 after dating for approximately two years. They separated in 2014, Diane filed for divorce in 2015, and their divorce was finalized in 2016.

How many children does Diane Plese have?

Diane Plese has three children with Robert Herjavec. Their eldest child is Brendan, followed by their daughters Skye and Caprice. All three have developed their own professional careers as adults.

What is Diane Plese’s net worth?

Diane Plese’s net worth has been estimated at approximately $100 million. Her wealth is associated with her optometry career and assets received following her divorce, including a reported multimillion-dollar financial settlement.