Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist who became publicly known through her long marriage to entrepreneur and television personality Robert Herjavec. Although many online biographies reduce her identity to that of Herjavec’s former wife, the public record shows a considerably fuller story: she completed extensive professional training, built a career in optometry, contributed income during the early years of Robert’s entrepreneurship, and later devoted much of her life to raising their three children.
Plese married Herjavec in June 1990, years before he became widely recognized through programs such as Shark Tank and Dragon’s Den. Their marriage lasted about 24 years before they separated in July 2014. The subsequent family-law proceedings became significant because of the couple’s wealth, business interests, family trust arrangements and the economic consequences of Plese’s long absence from the workforce.
The financial outcome is often simplified online as a “$25 million divorce settlement.” The actual court record is more complicated. The Ontario Superior Court ordered approximately $2.69 million in equalization and $125,000 per month in indefinite spousal support, along with child-support provisions. Robert Herjavec appealed, but the Ontario Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal in 2020.
Quick Facts About Diane Plese
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Diane Plese |
| Known For | Former wife of entrepreneur Robert Herjavec; career as an optometrist |
| Profession | Optometrist |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Birthplace | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Birth Year | Commonly reported as 1959, although public records create a discrepancy |
| Age | Not reliably established; she was 56 at the 2018 court trial |
| Education | University of Western Ontario |
| Professional Qualification | Six-year optometry degree |
| Former Husband | Robert Herjavec |
| Marriage | June 1990 |
| Separation | July 2014 |
| Children | Brendan, Skye and Caprice Herjavec |
| Career | Practiced optometry and later left paid employment around 2003 |
| Known Business Connection | Robert Herjavec’s early company, Brak Enterprises, through their marriage |
| Major Legal Case | Plese v. Herjavec |
| Equalization Ordered | Approximately $2.69 million |
| Spousal Support Ordered | $125,000 per month indefinitely |
| Current Net Worth | $25 million to $45 million |
| Official Social Media |
Personal Details
Full Name
Her publicly established name is Diane Plese. Some low-quality online pages have incorrectly used variations of her first name, but Diane Plese is the name consistently associated with her professional and family-law records.
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Date of Birth
An exact date of birth has not been reliably confirmed.
Several biography websites list 1959 as her birth year. However, that information should not be treated as definitive. The Ontario Superior Court record states that Plese was 56 years old at the 2018 trial, creating a discrepancy with the frequently repeated 1959 birth year.
For that reason, an exact birth date should not be presented as fact without a stronger primary source.
Birthplace
Diane Plese is publicly associated with Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Global News reported that she grew up in Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood.
Age
Her precise current age cannot be stated confidently because the commonly published birth year conflicts with the age recorded in the court proceedings.
The strongest evidence is that she was 56 at the 2018 Superior Court trial.
Height
Height in feet and inches. 5’10” ; Height in centimetres. 178
Weight
Her weight is approximately 59 kg.
Profession
Diane Plese is a trained optometrist. She worked in several optometry practices and eventually established her own office.
Nationality of Diane Plese
She is Canadian and has strong documented connections to Toronto, Ontario.
Religion
Her religion is Christianity.
Zodiac Sign
A zodiac sign cannot be established reliably without a confirmed birth date.
Ethnicity and Family Heritage
Her ethnicity is white. Public reporting states that Plese was raised by parents who immigrated from Croatia. This supports describing her family background as Croatian immigrant heritage.
Specific ethnic labels beyond that should not be added without evidence.
Legacy
Plese’s documented legacy is connected to three areas: her professional training in optometry, her role in raising three children, and her economic contribution during the early years of Robert Herjavec’s entrepreneurial career.
Her divorce case also created a detailed public record concerning the economic consequences of leaving a professional career to take on family responsibilities.
Net Worth of Diane Plese
Diane Plese’s current net worth is between $25 million to $45 million.
Online estimates vary substantially and should not be presented as fact. Historical court documents contain detailed information about assets and financial interests, but those figures do not establish her current 2026 net worth.
Marital Status
Plese was previously married to Robert Herjavec. The couple married in 1990, separated in July 2014 and later divorced.
There is no reliable public evidence establishing a subsequent marriage.
Siblings of Diane Plese
No authoritative public source provides a complete and verified list of Plese’s siblings.
Parents
Public reporting identifies her parents as Croatian immigrants who raised her in Toronto. Their names have not been reliably established in high-quality public sources.
Early Life and Family Background of Diane Plese
Diane Plese’s early life is not extensively documented in the public record, particularly compared with Robert Herjavec’s entrepreneurial career.
What is reasonably well established is that she grew up in Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood in a family with Croatian immigrant roots. This background places her upbringing within a Canadian immigrant family rather than a celebrity environment.
The limited amount of reliable childhood information is itself important. Numerous websites fill this gap with highly specific claims about her family, upbringing and personal interests, but those details are not supported by strong sources.
Plese later pursued a demanding professional education in optometry. That decision became an important part of her identity before and during her marriage to Herjavec.
Education of Diane Plese
University of Western Ontario
Plese attended the University of Western Ontario, now commonly known as Western University.
According to the Ontario Superior Court record, she completed a six-year optometry degree, demonstrating a substantial commitment to professional education.
Professional Training
Her training prepared her for professional practice, and the court record indicates that she completed internship-related work before establishing herself in the profession.
This educational background matters because many short biographies describe Plese simply as Robert Herjavec’s wife or ex-wife while overlooking the fact that she had an independent professional career.
Career Journey of Diane Plese
Beginning Her Optometry Career
Plese worked in several optometry practices after completing her professional education.
She eventually established her own optometry office, giving her an independent professional identity and earning capacity before the Herjavec family’s wealth expanded dramatically.
Meeting Robert Herjavec
Plese met Robert Herjavec when he became her patient. Their relationship later developed into marriage. The court record confirms the patient relationship, while secondary reporting places their meeting in the late 1980s.
Marriage in 1990
Plese married Herjavec in June 1990.
At that point, Herjavec was not yet the globally recognizable entrepreneur and television personality he would later become. His most important business successes were still ahead of him.
Supporting the Early Entrepreneurial Years
One of the most significant facts about Plese’s biography appears in the Ontario court record.
After the couple married, Robert lost his job following their honeymoon and began pursuing his entrepreneurial ambitions. Plese continued earning money as an optometrist.
Her income provided an important financial safety net while Robert took risks in building his early business. The court ultimately recognized that her earnings contributed materially to the family’s financial foundation during this period.
This point gives important context to their later financial dispute. Plese was not simply a passive participant in a wealthy marriage. She had her own professional income during the period when Robert was building the business that would eventually create substantial wealth.
Motherhood and Reduced Professional Work
The birth of the couple’s first child in 1993 marked a major change in Plese’s career.
She moved away from full-time professional work and eventually worked part-time while managing family responsibilities. By approximately 2003, she had left paid employment entirely.
This career transition became highly important years later during the divorce proceedings.
Leaving the Workforce
Plese’s absence from optometry lasted for roughly 15 years by the time of the 2018 trial.
The court considered the consequences of this decision. Returning to a professional career after such a long period away was not regarded as a realistic solution to her post-separation financial needs, particularly given her age and the length of time she had been outside the profession.
Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec’s Family
Plese and Robert Herjavec had three children:
- Brendan Herjavec, born in 1993
- Skye Herjavec, born in 1996
- Caprice Herjavec, born in 1998
The court record and later family reporting support these family details.
Plese’s role in the family became increasingly centered on childcare and household responsibilities after the birth of the children.
The court’s analysis placed significant weight on the economic consequences of this division of responsibilities. Her career development slowed while Robert’s business career accelerated.
Robert Herjavec’s Business Rise
Brak Enterprises
Robert’s early entrepreneurial venture was Brak Enterprises, a company involved in selling and supporting cybersecurity software.
The business eventually became highly successful.
The court record states that AT&T offered approximately $31 million for Brak. The transaction represented a major turning point in the family’s financial circumstances.
Diane’s Role in This Period
Plese did not run Brak Enterprises, and she should not be described as a co-founder of the company.
Her documented connection was different and arguably more revealing: her professional income helped provide financial stability while Robert pursued the business.
The court considered this contribution when assessing the economic relationship between the spouses. Robert also described her income as a form of safety net in his book Driven, a description later considered in the court’s reasoning.
The Herjavec Group
Robert later founded The Herjavec Group, expanding his career in cybersecurity and business.
Plese’s relationship to the company was primarily through the marriage and family financial structure. There is no reliable evidence that she operated the company or held an executive role in it.
Major Achievements of Diane Plese
Diane Plese does not have a publicly documented collection of entertainment awards, business trophies or major professional honors.
Her documented accomplishments are more personal and professional.
Professional Qualification of Diane Plese
She completed a demanding six-year optometry program and worked professionally in the field.
Independent Practice
She eventually established her own optometry office.
Early Family Financial Contribution
Her professional earnings were important during the early years of Robert’s entrepreneurship. The Ontario court specifically recognized the significance of her contribution.
Raising Three Children
Plese became the primary parent involved in raising the couple’s three children, a responsibility that influenced her decision to reduce and eventually stop professional employment.
Legal Recognition of Economic Contributions
The divorce judgment provides another important form of recognition. The court considered the economic disadvantages associated with Plese’s career interruption and caregiving responsibilities when determining spousal support.
Personal Life of Diane Plese
Plese has maintained a comparatively private public profile.
Her public identity became closely associated with Robert Herjavec because of their long marriage, their three children and the financial litigation that followed their separation.
Unlike Robert, who developed a prominent television and media career, Plese did not pursue a public entertainment career.
That distinction is important when evaluating the amount of information available about her current life. A lack of public information does not mean that particular rumors or assumptions are true.
Relationships of Diane Plese
Marriage to Robert Herjavec
Plese and Herjavec married in June 1990.
Their marriage lasted approximately 24 years before they separated in July 2014.
Separation
The couple separated in July 2014.
News of the split became public in 2015. At the time, media coverage focused heavily on Herjavec’s celebrity status and the end of a long marriage.
Reason for the Divorce
The exact reason for the marriage breakdown should be handled carefully.
Some media reports later connected the separation with allegations involving Robert Herjavec and Danielle Vasinova. However, those reports should not be presented as a court-established reason for the divorce.
The strongest public evidence establishes that the couple separated in July 2014 and subsequently became involved in extensive family-law proceedings.
Divorce Case of Diane Plese
The legal proceedings are among the most important and most misunderstood parts of Plese’s biography.
Plese v. Herjavec
The Ontario Superior Court case, Plese v. Herjavec, addressed a range of financial and family issues.
These included:
- Net family property
- Equalization
- Spousal support
- Child support
- Business interests
- Property valuation
- Family trust issues
- Income
- The economic consequences of the marriage
The 2018 judgment provides substantially more detail than most celebrity biography websites.
The Court’s View of the Marriage
The court’s analysis was especially significant because it viewed the marriage in terms of the contributions made by both spouses.
Plese’s professional income helped provide financial stability during Robert’s early entrepreneurial period. Later, her family responsibilities reduced her ability to continue developing her own professional career.
The court considered both sides of that economic equation.
Equalization Payment
The Ontario Superior Court ordered approximately $2,689,558 in equalization.
Equalization should not be confused with spousal support. It relates to the division of net family property under Ontario family law.
Spousal Support
The court also ordered Robert Herjavec to pay Plese $125,000 per month in spousal support indefinitely.
The ruling considered factors including the length of the marriage, the spouses’ economic circumstances, Plese’s lost earning capacity and the lifestyle associated with the marriage.
Child Support
The judgment also included child-support provisions. One reported order required $14,233 per month from May through August during each year in which the youngest daughter remained in university, subject to the terms of the judgment.
This amount should not be confused with Plese’s personal spousal-support award.
Did Diane Plese Receive $25 Million?
This is one of the most common questions about Plese.
Many celebrity biography websites state that she received a $25 million divorce settlement. That description is too simplistic.
The court record shows a more complicated financial outcome involving equalization, property interests, support and other financial arrangements.
The 2018 Superior Court order included approximately $2.69 million in equalization and $125,000 per month in indefinite spousal support. Legal commentary has sometimes described the broader financial result using a figure of approximately $25 million, which helps explain why that number appears repeatedly in online biographies.
Therefore, the most accurate answer is:
The commonly repeated $25 million figure should not be treated as a simple cash settlement paid to Diane Plese. The actual court-ordered financial arrangements were more complex.
Robert Herjavec’s Appeal
Robert Herjavec appealed aspects of the trial judgment.
The matter eventually reached the Court of Appeal for Ontario.
In 2020, the appellate court dismissed the appeal, leaving the major trial-level support determination in place.
This appellate outcome is an important part of the story because many short biographies stop at the 2018 judgment and omit the later court decision.
Business Ventures of Diane Plese
Diane Plese’s own documented business activity is relatively limited.
Optometry Practice
Her most clearly documented professional enterprise was her own optometry office.
Family Business Connection
Through her marriage to Robert Herjavec, she was connected to the family’s financial interests arising from businesses including Brak Enterprises and later The Herjavec Group.
However, there is no reliable evidence that Plese personally founded or operated these companies.
Investments of Diane Plese
Court documents discuss various family assets, corporations and trust interests. These should be understood as part of the family’s financial structure rather than automatically described as Diane’s personal investment portfolio.
Philanthropy
No major foundation, charity or long-running philanthropic organization has been reliably established as being operated by Diane Plese.
Some online biographies may associate her with charitable activities because of public appearances connected to Robert Herjavec, but those references do not establish a personal philanthropic program.
For that reason, claims about a major Diane Plese charity or foundation should be avoided unless supported by a primary source.
Media Appearances of Diane Plese
Diane Plese occasionally appeared at public events with Robert Herjavec before their separation.
Canadian Film Centre Gala
She was photographed with Robert at a Canadian Film Centre Gala and Auction in 2011.
People’s Choice Awards
Plese also appeared with Herjavec at the 39th People’s Choice Awards in January 2013.
MTV Cribs
The large Toronto home associated with the Herjavec family was featured in connection with MTV Cribs. This is useful context for understanding the family’s public profile and lifestyle at the height of their wealth, but it should not be interpreted as evidence that Plese had a television career.
Social Media Presence of Diane Plese
No verified official public Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X or personal website has been reliably identified for Diane Plese.
That does not prove that she has no private social-media accounts. It simply means there is no sufficiently verified public account that should be presented as official.
Her limited public presence is consistent with the broader picture of a person who has largely stayed outside the entertainment spotlight.
Net Worth of Diane Plese
Why Diane Plese’s Net Worth Is Difficult to Establish
There is no reliable public figure for Diane Plese’s current net worth.
Online websites publish estimates ranging from tens of millions of dollars to much larger figures, but these estimates are generally not accompanied by audited financial statements, current court records or other evidence strong enough to establish a precise figure.
The 2018 court proceedings provide historical information about assets and liabilities, but those figures cannot simply be converted into a 2026 net-worth estimate.
Historical Financial Context
The court record contains extensive financial information concerning:
- Property
- Investments
- Trust interests
- Business interests
- Equalization
- Support
- Family assets
The financial picture was substantial, but historical marital assets are not the same thing as Diane Plese’s present-day personal net worth.
Challenges and Difficulties of Diane Plese
Leaving a Professional Career
One of the most important challenges in Plese’s life was the long interruption of her optometry career.
Leaving professional employment allowed her to devote substantial time to raising her children, but it also reduced her independent earning capacity.
Re-entering the Workforce
By the time of the 2018 trial, Plese had been out of paid employment for roughly 15 years.
The court did not consider a return to optometry at that stage to be a realistic way of replacing the financial circumstances she had experienced during the marriage.
Divorce After a Long Marriage
The end of a 24-year marriage created significant financial and personal consequences.
Unlike a short celebrity divorce, the case involved years of accumulated property, business wealth, trust interests and family responsibilities.
Public Scrutiny
The separation also became a public story because Robert Herjavec was increasingly well known through television.
Plese, however, remained much less visible, leaving the public with comparatively little firsthand information about her perspective.
Interesting Facts About Diane Plese
- She was a trained optometrist before becoming associated with Robert Herjavec’s celebrity profile.
- She completed a six-year optometry degree at the University of Western Ontario.
- She eventually established her own optometry office.
- Her professional income helped provide financial stability during Robert Herjavec’s early entrepreneurial years.
- She left paid employment around 2003 after shifting much of her attention toward family responsibilities.
- She and Herjavec had three children: Brendan, Skye and Caprice.
- Their marriage lasted approximately 24 years before their July 2014 separation.
- The court ordered $125,000 per month in indefinite spousal support.
- Robert Herjavec’s appeal of the major trial judgment was dismissed by the Ontario Court of Appeal.
- The frequently repeated “$25 million settlement” description does not capture the full structure of the court-ordered financial outcome.
Legacy and Influence of Diane Plese
Diane Plese’s public story is unusual because her most important contributions are not tied to celebrity awards or a highly public career.
Her early professional life demonstrates that she had an established career as an optometrist before Robert Herjavec became a major entrepreneur and television personality. Her income helped provide stability while he pursued early business opportunities, and her later role in raising their children shaped the course of her own career.
The divorce proceedings also created a detailed public record about the economic consequences of long-term caregiving and career interruption. The court’s reasoning recognized that a spouse can make substantial contributions to a family’s financial success without directly running the business that creates the family’s wealth.
For readers searching for Diane Plese today, perhaps the most important distinction is that her identity should not be reduced to Robert Herjavec’s former wife. She was a trained professional, mother of three and an important participant in the family circumstances surrounding one of Canada’s better-known entrepreneurial stories.
Diane Plese Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| Before 1990 | Completed professional optometry education and worked in the field |
| Late 1980s | Met Robert Herjavec after he became her patient |
| June 1990 | Married Robert Herjavec |
| 1990 | Robert lost his job and began pursuing entrepreneurship |
| Early 1990s | Plese continued working as an optometrist |
| 1993 | First child, Brendan, was born |
| 1996 | Second child, Skye, was born |
| 1998 | Third child, Caprice, was born |
| Around 2003 | Plese left paid employment |
| 2011 | Appeared publicly with Robert at a Canadian Film Centre event |
| 2013 | Attended the People’s Choice Awards with Robert |
| July 2014 | Couple separated |
| 2015 | Separation became widely publicized and family-law proceedings continued |
| 2016 | Divorce commonly reported as finalized |
| 2018 | Ontario Superior Court issued major financial judgment |
| Dec. 2018 | Approximately $2.69 million equalization and $125,000 monthly indefinite spousal support ordered |
| 2020 | Ontario Court of Appeal dismissed Robert Herjavec’s appeal |
Conclusion
Diane Plese’s biography is much more substantial than the short descriptions that portray her only as Robert Herjavec’s former wife. She was a professionally trained optometrist who built her own career, earned an independent income and later devoted significant time to raising three children. Her professional contribution was particularly important during the early stage of Robert’s entrepreneurial journey.
Her 2014 separation from Herjavec eventually produced one of the most closely examined parts of her public story: a complex Ontario family-law case involving property, business interests, family trusts and spousal support. The resulting orders included approximately $2.69 million in equalization and $125,000 per month in indefinite spousal support, with the major appellate challenge later dismissed.
Today, much of Plese’s personal life remains private. That limited public record makes careful sourcing especially important. The most reliable picture is of a Canadian optometrist, mother and former spouse whose professional and family contributions became significant factors in the financial history of one of Canada’s best-known entrepreneurs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Diane Plese
Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist best known publicly as the former wife of entrepreneur and television personality Robert Herjavec. She practiced optometry, raised their three children and later became involved in extensive family-law proceedings following their separation.
Diane Plese trained and worked as an optometrist. The Ontario Superior Court record states that she worked in several practices and eventually established her own office. She later left paid employment around 2003.
Her exact age is difficult to establish because online sources commonly give different birth information. The strongest public legal record states that she was 56 years old at the 2018 trial.
Diane Plese is associated with Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Global News reported that she grew up in Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood.
She was married to Robert Herjavec, the Canadian entrepreneur and television personality. They married in June 1990 and separated in July 2014 after approximately 24 years of marriage.
The $25 million figure is widely reported but oversimplifies the actual legal outcome. The Ontario Superior Court ordered approximately $2.69 million in equalization and $125,000 per month in indefinite spousal support, alongside other financial provisions.
The Ontario Superior Court ordered $125,000 per month in indefinite spousal support. Robert Herjavec appealed, but the Ontario Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal in 2020.
Reliable recent information about Plese’s private life is limited. She has largely stayed away from the public spotlight, and there is insufficient authoritative evidence to make detailed claims about her current occupation, residence or relationships.
