Who Is Diane Plese? Robert Herjavec’s Ex-Wife, Her Optometrist Career, Three Children, and Divorce Facts
Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist and the first wife of Robert Herjavec, the businessman and TV investor known from Shark Tank. Many people search her name after reading about the couple’s divorce, which got a lot of attention in Canada and the United States. This article explains who she is, how she met Robert, what her work looked like, and what the court decided. It also clears up some mistakes you can find online. Diane has always kept a private life, so some details are limited, and we point out where sources disagree.
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| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Diane Plese |
| Born | 1959, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Family background | Daughter of Croatian immigrants |
| Profession | Optometrist (eye care professional) |
| Known for | Being Robert Herjavec’s first wife |
| How they met | Robert visited her eye clinic as a patient in the late 1980s |
| Married | June 1990 |
| Separated | July 2014 |
| Divorce filed | March 2015 |
| Divorce finalized | 2016 (as reported by most outlets) |
| Children | Brendan, Skye, and Caprice |
| Marital status | Divorced |
| Public life | Keeps a low profile |
Who Is Diane Plese?
Diane Plese is a Canadian eye care professional who became well known through her marriage to Robert Herjavec. She was born in Toronto, and her parents came to Canada from Croatia. She trained as an optometrist and worked in that field for many years.
Robert Herjavec was born in Croatia in 1962. He built a technology business and later became famous on TV shows such as Dragon’s Den, Shark Tank, and Dancing with the Stars. Diane never chased that kind of fame. Most of what the public knows about her comes from news stories about the marriage and the court case.
How Did Diane Plese Meet Robert Herjavec?
Diane met Robert when he came to her eye clinic for an eye exam in the late 1980s. One report that relies on the Ontario court judgment says both of them were in their late twenties at that time. Robert was not rich or famous yet.
Their relationship grew after that visit. They married in June 1990 at a Croatian church in Mississauga, near Toronto. In the early years, they lived in a small home. Diane kept working as an optometrist while Robert built his technology company, BRAK Systems, from the basement.
The business did well. Robert sold the company in 2000, and the court later said the sale gave the family much more money than they had ever expected. That wealth became an important part of the divorce case years later.
What Was Diane Plese’s Career?
Diane worked full time as an optometrist and ran her own office in the early years of the marriage. An optometrist tests eyesight, checks eye health, and prescribes glasses and contact lenses. It is a skilled job that takes years of study.
After the couple’s first child was born, Diane worked less. Around 2003, she left paid work to take care of the home and the children. This is why some writers say she supported Robert’s rise while he built his business. When the court looked at spousal support, it also looked at the lifestyle the family had during the marriage.
Who Are Diane Plese’s Children?
Diane and Robert have three children: Brendan, Skye, and Caprice. All three were born during the marriage, and they are adults now. The family lived in the public eye at times because of their father’s job, but the children have mostly kept their own lives private.
Robert has two younger children, twins named Haven and Hudson, with his current wife, Kym Johnson. They are Diane’s children’s half-siblings, but they are not Diane’s own children.
Why Did Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec Separate?
Diane and Robert separated on July 24, 2014, after about 24 years of marriage. Robert did not give a long public explanation. He told People magazine that they were good parents and a great team, but that they slowly drifted apart.
Some media stories linked the split to his later relationship with Kym Johnson. Those stories were mostly rumors, and there is no clear public proof about the exact reason. What we do know is that Diane started the divorce case in March 2015.
What Did the Court Decide in the Divorce?
The divorce case was long and complex, and an Ontario court made several big decisions. Most outlets agree on these points:
- Spousal support: A judge ordered Robert to pay Diane $125,000 per month. One recent report says this support has no end date.
- Total assets: Reports from the Toronto Sun say Diane was to receive about $25 million in assets.
- Later rulings: In January 2019, Justice Ruth Mesbur dealt with an equalization payment of about $2.6 million. Some outlets also mention an extra $2.4 million tied to the sale of a Florida property.
- Appeal: One report says an appeal court rejected Robert’s appeal about the support order in December 2020.
The case also covered property, child support, and a family trust. According to one report, the trial judge found that Robert, who was the only trustee, broke some of his duties as a trustee. Because outlets give slightly different numbers, it is wise to treat exact amounts with care.
What Is Diane Plese’s Net Worth?
There is no reliable public figure for Diane Plese’s net worth. Online estimates range from about $25 million to more than $100 million, but none of them come from a confirmed source. The only solid numbers are the ones linked to the court case, such as the monthly support and the reported total assets.
Since Diane is a private person who does not give interviews about her money, any exact number should be taken as a guess.
Where Is Diane Plese Now?
Diane Plese lives a private life, and there is very little verified news about her recent years. Reports describe her as divorced and focused on her family. She does not appear to use her ex-husband’s fame to get attention.
Robert, on the other hand, remarried. He is now married to Kym Johnson, and they have twins together. If you read a story that gives personal details about Diane’s daily life, be careful, because many of those stories are not backed by real sources.
What Do Some Websites Get Wrong About Diane Plese?
Several websites repeat the same small mistakes about Diane Plese. Here are the most common ones:
- Wrong job title: A few sites call her an ophthalmologist. An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who does eye surgery. Diane is an optometrist.
- Wrong nationality: Some pages call her American. She was born in Toronto, so she is Canadian.
- Marriage length: Some sites say 25 years. Most reports say 24 years, from 1990 to 2014.
- Net worth claims: Many sites state a very exact number, but none can prove it.
Conclusion
Diane Plese is more than a name linked to a famous man. She is a Canadian optometrist who built her own career, helped support a young family, and raised three children. The public mostly knows her because of her marriage to Robert Herjavec and the divorce case that followed. Since she keeps her life private, the best way to learn about her is to rely on court-based reports and trusted news outlets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Diane Plese?
Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist born in Toronto in 1959. She is best known as the first wife of Robert Herjavec, the entrepreneur and Shark Tank investor. They married in 1990, separated in 2014, and have three children together. She keeps her personal life private.
How long were Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec married?
They married in June 1990 and separated in July 2014, so the marriage lasted about 24 years. Diane filed for divorce in March 2015, and reports say the divorce was finalized in 2016. Some websites say 25 years, but 24 years is the most common figure.
How many children do Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec have?
They have three children: Brendan, Skye, and Caprice. All three were born during the marriage and are now adults. Robert also has twins, Haven and Hudson, with his current wife, Kym Johnson. The twins are not Diane’s children and are much younger than her three.
How much did Diane Plese receive in the divorce?
Media reports say an Ontario court ordered Robert Herjavec to pay Diane $125,000 per month in spousal support and about $25 million in total assets. A 2019 ruling also dealt with a $2.6 million equalization payment. Figures vary by outlet, so treat exact numbers with care.
Is Diane Plese an optometrist or an ophthalmologist?
Diane Plese is an optometrist, which is what most reports call her. An optometrist is an eye care professional who tests vision and prescribes glasses. An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who performs eye surgery. A few websites mix up the two terms, but optometrist is the correct one.
