Who Is Diane Plese? Inside the Personal Life of Robert Herjavec’s First Wife

Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist best known as the former wife of businessman and Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec. The couple spent more than two decades together and had three children before their marriage ended.
However, Diane had her own professional life long before Robert became a television personality. She trained and worked in eye care while keeping most of her personal life away from public attention. Unlike her former husband, she never built a career around television or fame.
Interest in Diane continues because readers want to understand her background, career, family life, and connection to Robert before his success.
Profile Summary
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Diane Plese |
| Known For | Former wife of Robert Herjavec |
| Reported Birth Year | 1959 (not firmly confirmed) |
| Reported Age (2026) | About 67 |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Family Roots | Croatian |
| Profession | Optometrist |
| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Ex-Husband | Robert Herjavec |
| Marriage Year | 1990 |
| Separation | 2014 |
| Children | Brendan, Skye, and Caprice Herjavec |
| Net Worth | Not publicly confirmed |
| Current Residence | Not publicly confirmed |
| Known Social Media | No widely verified public account |
Early Life and Croatian Family Background
Born into a family with Croatian roots, Diane Plese grew up in Canada before building her career in health care. Her connection to Croatia later became an interesting part of her story because Robert Herjavec was also born into a Croatian family.
However, reliable public information about Diane’s childhood is limited. She has not shared detailed stories about her parents, siblings, or early home life in major interviews.
This makes many personal claims found online difficult to confirm. What is clear is that Diane spent much of her life in Canada and later chose a professional path in optometry before meeting Robert.
Diane Plese’s Age and Birthplace
Diane Plese’s exact date of birth has not been clearly established by strong public sources, although online biographies often list 1959 as her birth year. If that year is correct, she would be about 67 years old in 2026, depending on her birthday.
Several websites also connect her early life with Toronto, Ontario, and some specifically name the Parkdale area. These details should be treated carefully because Diane has rarely discussed her childhood publicly.
Rather than sharing personal facts with the media, she has maintained a private life. Her Canadian background, however, is consistently associated with her public biography and family story.
Diane Plese’s Education
Education prepared Diane Plese for a professional career in optometry, although details about where she studied are not widely documented. Many online profiles make claims about her college years, but a clearly verified university and graduation date are difficult to establish from reliable public information.
What matters more is that she qualified to work in eye care and practiced as an optometrist in Canada. This career required professional education and clinical training before she could treat patients.
Diane has never made her academic history a major part of her public identity, which explains why fewer reliable details about her education are available today.
Diane Plese’s Career as an Optometrist
Before becoming publicly associated with Robert Herjavec, Diane Plese worked as an optometrist in Canada. An optometrist examines eyesight, identifies common vision problems, and helps patients manage their eye-care needs.
Her profession gave Diane an identity and career separate from her future husband’s business success. Public information about the exact clinic where she worked and the full length of her career remains limited, so claims about these details should be treated carefully.
Her work is still an important part of her story because it reportedly led to her first meeting with Robert. Diane later became focused on family life and privacy.
How Did Diane Plese Meet Robert Herjavec?
Diane Plese reportedly met Robert Herjavec when he visited her for an eye examination while she was working as an optometrist. Their meeting took place before Robert became widely known as a wealthy technology entrepreneur and television investor. The professional appointment eventually led to a personal relationship, and the two began dating.
Their shared Croatian family backgrounds also gave them something in common as their relationship developed. After spending time together, Diane and Robert decided to build a future as a couple. They eventually married in 1990, beginning a marriage that lasted more than two decades and produced three children together.
Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec’s Love Story
Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec reportedly met when Robert visited her for an eye examination while she was working as an optometrist. Their first meeting happened before Robert became a famous businessman and television investor. The professional meeting soon developed into a personal relationship, and they began dating. Both also came from Croatian family backgrounds, giving them a cultural connection.
Their relationship became serious as they spent more time together and planned a future. After dating for a period, the couple decided to marry. Their story began years before Robert gained major wealth, television fame, and international recognition through his business career.
When Did Diane Plese Marry Robert Herjavec?
Diane Plese married Robert Herjavec in 1990, years before he became widely recognized through television shows such as Dragon’s Den and Shark Tank. Their wedding has been reported as taking place in a Croatian church in Ontario, reflecting the family heritage they shared.
At that time, Diane had an established background in optometry, while Robert was still working toward greater success in business. Their marriage would continue for more than two decades and include major changes in their personal and financial lives. During those years, they welcomed three children and watched Robert grow from a businessman into an internationally known television investor.
Diane Plese’s Role During Robert Herjavec’s Early Career
During Robert Herjavec’s early business years, Diane Plese was his wife and part of the family life surrounding his growing career. Robert founded BRAK Systems, an internet security company, before selling it to AT&T Canada in 2000. The deal became an important step in his rise as a technology entrepreneur. Diane was with him during this period, long before his later television fame.
Some online accounts describe her as a major force behind his success, but the exact business role she played is not clearly documented. It is safer to recognize her long-term family support without claiming she helped operate Robert’s companies.
Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec’s Children
During their marriage, Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec became parents to three children: one son, Brendan, and two daughters, Skye and Caprice. Diane spent much of their childhood outside the public spotlight, even as Robert’s business career became more successful. Their children also grew up largely away from entertainment media and later followed their own educational and professional interests.
Robert has spoken publicly about how important his children are to him, particularly when discussing the difficult period surrounding his separation from Diane. Although the family became connected to television fame, Diane generally kept her role as a mother private and avoided public attention.
Who Are Brendan, Skye, and Caprice Herjavec?
Brendan, Skye, and Caprice Herjavec are the three children Diane Plese shares with Robert Herjavec. Unlike their father, they have generally avoided becoming television personalities. Public professional profiles show that the children pursued education and careers of their own. Brendan has been associated with business and technology-related work, while Skye has developed experience in business and finance.
Caprice attended Barnard College and was involved in rowing during her college years before moving into professional work. Some online biographies provide very specific birth dates and personal details for all three siblings, but these claims are not always supported by strong public sources.
When Did Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec Separate?
After more than two decades of marriage, Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec separated in 2014. Their breakup became public the following year as Robert’s profile continued to grow through Shark Tank and other television appearances. In 2015, Robert publicly confirmed that he and Diane were separating after a long marriage. The end of their relationship was difficult for the family and attracted considerable media coverage.
Robert later spoke openly about the emotional pain he experienced during this period. Their separation eventually moved into divorce proceedings, which involved complicated questions about property, income, financial support, and the wealth Robert had built during their years together.
Why Did Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec Divorce?
Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec have not provided one simple public explanation that fully defines why their long marriage ended. Their separation led to many stories about Robert’s personal life, including reports concerning his relationship with actress Danielle Vasinova. However, it is important not to present media speculation as the single proven cause of the divorce.
What is established is that Diane and Robert separated in 2014 after more than two decades together. Their divorce later became a major legal and financial matter. Robert also described the breakup as an extremely painful time, especially because of changes in his relationship with his children.
Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec’s Divorce Settlement
The financial outcome of Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec’s divorce became the subject of Canadian court proceedings and later media coverage. A 2018 Ontario court decision provides a more reliable picture than many celebrity websites. The case addressed Robert’s income, property, equalization, and spousal support following their separation.
Diane received substantial assets through the division of their marital wealth, while Robert was also required to make support payments. Different online articles sometimes reduce the outcome to one settlement number, which can be misleading because several financial issues were involved. Their case shows why divorce figures should be understood through court decisions rather than estimates.
Diane Plese’s Net Worth
Diane Plese’s exact net worth is not publicly known, despite websites often giving very large estimates for her personal fortune. Figures such as $100 million appear online, but Diane has never publicly confirmed such a number. Her financial position was influenced by the division of property and support arrangements following her divorce from Robert Herjavec.
Court proceedings confirm that significant wealth was involved, but that does not automatically prove a current net worth estimate. Diane also had her own professional background as an optometrist. Without recent financial records, investments, property information, or a statement from Diane, any exact net worth figure should be treated as an estimate.
Where Is Diane Plese Now in 2026?
In 2026, Diane Plese continues to maintain the private lifestyle that has defined much of her public story. She has not developed the kind of public profile that Robert Herjavec maintains through television, business, and social media. There are also no widely confirmed reports showing that she has remarried or entered another public relationship since their divorce.
Some biography websites claim that Diane continues to live in the Toronto area, but her exact current residence should not be stated as fact without reliable evidence. With few interviews or verified public accounts, much of her present-day life remains outside the public eye by choice.
Final Thoughts
Diane Plese’s story reaches beyond her well-known marriage to Robert Herjavec. She had a professional background in optometry and was part of Robert’s life before his biggest business successes and television fame. Together, they raised three children and remained married for more than two decades before separating in 2014.
Their divorce later attracted attention because of the wealth and financial questions involved. Since then, Robert has remained highly visible, while Diane has followed a much quieter path. Many details about her current life are not publicly documented, making careful reporting important. What remains clear is her lasting connection to the Herjavec family story.
(FAQs)
1. Who is Diane Plese?
Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist best known as the former wife of businessman and Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec. They were married for more than two decades and have three children together.
2. What does Diane Plese do for a living?
Diane Plese trained and worked as an optometrist in Canada. Reliable public information about whether she still practices optometry today is limited.
3. How did Diane Plese meet Robert Herjavec?
Diane reportedly met Robert Herjavec when he visited her for an eye examination. Their professional meeting later developed into a relationship, and the couple married in 1990.
4. How many children does Diane Plese have?
Diane Plese has three children with Robert Herjavec. They have one son, Brendan Herjavec, and two daughters, Skye Herjavec and Caprice Herjavec.
5. Why did Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec divorce?
Diane and Robert have not publicly given one simple reason for the end of their marriage. They separated in 2014 after more than two decades together, and their divorce later involved significant financial proceedings.
6. Where is Diane Plese now?
Diane Plese keeps her current life largely private. She has stayed away from television and regular media attention since her divorce. Reports connect her with Canada, but her exact current residence and relationship status are not clearly documented.
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