Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist. She is also known as the former wife of Robert Herjavec. He is a businessman and television investor. Their marriage lasted for more than two decades.
She had her own career before Robert became famous. She worked in eye care and ran her own office. Her steady work also helped the family during Robert’s early business years.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Diane Plese |
| Profession | Optometrist |
| Birthplace | Ontario, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Education | University of Western Ontario |
| Field of Study | Optometry |
| Former Husband | Robert Herjavec |
| Marriage | June 1990 |
| Separation | July 2014 |
| Children | Brendan, Skye, and Caprice Herjavec |
| Known For | Optometry career and marriage to Robert Herjavec |
Early Life and Education
Diane was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. She spent her early years there with her family. Public court records confirm that she grew up in Ontario.
She later went to the University of Western Ontario. The school is now called Western University. She studied optometry and completed a six year degree.
Her studies prepared her for a career in eye care. After school, she started working in several optometry offices. She gained skill and work experience over time.
Later, she opened her own optometry office. This gave her a stable career before marriage. It also made her financially independent at a young age.
Diane Plese’s Optometry Career
Diane Plese worked as an optometrist for many years. She cared for patients and worked in eye care. She later ran her own office in Ontario.
Her career became important during her early marriage. Robert was still building his business life. Her steady income helped support the family during that time.
She kept working after the birth of their first child. However, she moved to part time work. This gave her more time for her growing family.
She continued part time work for several years. She later left paid work around 2003. Family care then became her main daily role.
How Diane Plese Met Robert Herjavec?
Diane Plese met Robert Herjavec through her work. Robert became one of her patients. They were both still young at the time.
Their relationship grew after that first meeting. The couple married in June 1990. Their marriage began before Robert became a major public figure.
Soon after their honeymoon, Robert lost his job. He then started building his own business. This was a risky time for the young couple.
Her steady work gave the family some security. Robert could focus more on his new business plans. This support became important during his early career.
Robert Herjavec’s Business Career
Robert later started Brak Enterprises. The company worked with cyber security software. It grew into a successful business.
The company became more valuable over time. In 2000, AT&T bought Brak for about $31 million. The sale changed the family’s financial life.
The family soon had much more wealth. They bought valuable homes and enjoyed a high standard of living. Robert also started more business projects.
During these years, Diane spent more time at home. She cared for the children and managed family life. Robert focused more on his business work.
Family Life
The couple had three children during their marriage. Their names are Brendan Herjavec, Skye Herjavec, and Caprice Herjavec. They were born during the 1990s.
Their first child arrived in 1993. Diane returned to work after maternity leave. However, she chose part time hours.
Family duties grew after two more children arrived. She had less time for her optometry work. Her role at home became much larger.
By about 2003, she had left paid work. She then focused on the children and home. Robert continued to grow his business career.
Family Life After Business Success
The sale of Brak Enterprises brought major wealth. The family’s way of life changed. They owned valuable homes and other property.
Their main home was in the Bridle Path area of Toronto. The area is known for large homes. Their property later became part of the divorce case.
The family also owned other real estate. This included property in Florida and Muskoka. They also had access to expensive travel.
Robert became more famous during these years. He appeared on television and built his public image. Diane stayed much more private.
Why Did Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec Separate?
Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec separated in July 2014. They had been married for about 24 years. Robert left the family home after the separation.
The split later led to a long legal case. The case covered property and financial support. It also looked at the family trust.
The legal process started in 2015. A major trial took place several years later. The case gained public attention because of the large assets.
Many online stories also discuss their private problems. Such claims are not always well supported. Verified court records give the clearest facts about the split.
What Was Diane Plese’s Divorce Settlement?
The divorce case involved a large amount of money. The court had to divide family property. It also reviewed spousal support.
Robert was ordered to make an equalization payment. The amount was about $2.69 million. This payment formed one part of the wider settlement.
The court also ordered monthly spousal support. Robert had to pay $125,000 each month. The order did not have a fixed end date.
The judge also reviewed Diane’s total assets. Her capital was placed at about $25.2 million. This figure included property and other assets.
Robert later appealed the support order. The Ontario Court of Appeal rejected his appeal in 2020. The monthly support order stayed in place.
Diane Plese’s Role in Robert’s Early Success
Diane Plese had a stable career when Robert took business risks. Her income helped support their early family life. This gave Robert more room to build his company.
The court later noted her role in the marriage. She worked while Robert built his early business. She also became the main caregiver at home.
Her career changed as the family grew. She gave up more work hours over time. Robert was then able to spend more time on business.
This does not mean she ran his companies. Her main support came through work and family care. Both roles were part of their long marriage.
Diane Plese and Television
Robert became a well known television figure. He appeared on Dragons’ Den and Shark Tank. Diane did not follow the same public path.
She rarely gave public interviews. She also did not build a public media brand. Most known facts about her come from legal records.
Her private style is very different from Robert’s public career. He became known through business and television. She stayed away from regular media attention.
There is little verified public detail about her recent life. For that reason, claims about her current work should be treated with care. Only confirmed facts should be used.
Her Connection to Shark Tank
Diane Plese never appeared as a regular part of Shark Tank. Her public link to the show comes through Robert. He became one of its well known investors.
Robert joined the American version of the show in 2009. His television work made him famous outside Canada. His business background became part of his public image.
By that time, the couple had already spent many years together. Diane had also stepped away from paid work. She focused more on the family.
Their later divorce brought her name into media reports. Even so, she did not seek a television role. She continued to keep a low public profile.
The Importance of Her Own Career
It is easy to describe her only as Robert’s former wife. That view misses her own work history. She trained for years to become an optometrist.
She also opened her own office before the family became wealthy. This showed that she had an established career. Her work did not begin because of Robert’s fame.
Her career also gave the family steady income. This mattered when Robert started taking business risks. The court later noted this point.
She later gave up much of that career. Family care became her main focus. This change also mattered in the later support case.
Her Public Image
Diane Plese has kept a quiet public image. She is not known for television work or public speaking. She has also avoided regular celebrity media.
Much of the interest in her comes from Robert’s fame. His work on television brought more attention to the family. Their divorce brought even more public interest.
Still, she has not used that attention to build a public career. Verified details about her remain limited. This makes careful fact checking important.
Many websites repeat claims about her age and current home. Some also give details without strong proof. These claims should not be treated as confirmed facts.
What Makes Diane Plese’s Story Notable?
Her story is not only about a famous divorce. It also shows how family roles can change. She moved from full time work to part time work.
She later left paid work to care for the family. At the same time, Robert’s business career grew. Their lives moved in very different public directions.
The divorce case also drew legal interest. It involved large assets and monthly support. The court reviewed both money and family roles.
Her own career remains an important part of that story. She trained as an optometrist and ran her own office. Those facts came before Robert’s television fame.
Bottom Line
Diane Plese is best known as Robert Herjavec’s former wife. However, she also had her own skilled career. She worked as an optometrist before the family became wealthy.
Her income helped support the family in its early years. She later spent more time raising their three children. This changed the path of her working life.
Her divorce from Robert became a major legal case. It covered property, support, and family wealth. The courts later upheld a large monthly support order.
Today, her public story remains limited to verified facts. She has kept a much lower profile than Robert. Her life is best understood through her career, family role, and long marriage.
FAQs
Who is Diane Plese?
Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist. She is also the former wife of businessman Robert Herjavec. She worked in eye care before leaving paid work to focus on family life.
When did Diane Plese marry Robert Herjavec?
She married Robert Herjavec in June 1990. They stayed married for about 24 years. They separated in July 2014.
How many children do Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec have?
They have three children together. Their names are Brendan Herjavec, Skye Herjavec, and Caprice Herjavec. All three were born during the 1990s.
What did Diane Plese do for a living?
She worked as an optometrist. She also opened her own optometry office. She later moved to part time work and left paid work around 2003.
How much spousal support did Robert Herjavec have to pay?
The court ordered Robert to pay $125,000 per month. The support order had no fixed end date. An appeal court later kept the order in place.