Diane Plese: Biography, Career, Divorce, Net Worth & Family 

Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist best known publicly for her 1990 marriage to businessman and television personality Robert Herjavec. She built her own career in optometry before becoming a full-time parent and managing the household as the family’s circumstances changed. Plese and Herjavec had three children, Brendan, Skye and Caprice, during their 24-year marriage. They separated in 2014 and divorced in 2016 after extensive family-law proceedings in Ontario. The case resulted in a $2,689,558 equalization payment and $125,000 in monthly spousal support. Public interest in Plese also centers on her professional career, Croatian-Canadian background, financial settlement, and private life after her marriage to Herjavec.

Who Is Diane Plese?

Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Her professional background is rooted in healthcare rather than television or entertainment.

Plese became publicly associated with Robert Herjavec after their marriage in 1990. Herjavec is a businessman, investor, cybersecurity entrepreneur, and television personality known for Shark Tank and Dragons’ Den.

Their marriage lasted 24 years and produced three children. Plese maintained a relatively private profile while Herjavec’s business career and television work brought increasing public attention.

Her story later became closely connected with a major Ontario family-law case involving divorce, property division, equalization and spousal support.

Diane Plese’s Early Life, Family Background and Education

Childhood and Croatian-Canadian Family Heritage

Diane Plese was born in Parkdale, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Biographical records commonly place her birth around 1959, while court proceedings provide important age-related information from the later divorce case.

Her family has Croatian immigrant roots. That Croatian heritage forms part of her Croatian-Canadian family background and connects her upbringing to a wider immigrant community in Toronto.

She grew up in Canada and later pursued professional education. Her early life preceded a career in optometry and a family life that eventually included three children.

Her parents and siblings have remained largely outside her public profile. Most public attention has instead focused on her career, marriage, and subsequent family-law proceedings.

Education and Training in Optometry. She pursued optometry after her earlier schooling in Canada. Her education is associated with the University of Western Ontario and a six-year optometry program.

Her professional training prepared her to work in eye care and provide vision-related services. She completed her professional degree before establishing herself as a licensed optometrist.

The early 1980s marked the period when she entered professional optometry. Her education gave her a career that existed independently of Robert Herjavec’s later business success.

Diane Plese’s Career as an Optometrist

Building Her Professional Career

Diane Plese worked as an optometrist and ran her own office. Her work involved routine eye examinations and broader vision care.

Optometry can involve identifying eye conditions, monitoring changes in eyesight, and helping patients manage vision needs. Plese’s career therefore placed her in a professional healthcare setting rather than the technology and television industries associated with her husband.

Her work included the practical areas of eye care that patients commonly associate with an optometry practice. These include vision assessment, glasses, contact lenses, and eye-health monitoring.

Plese’s professional income also formed part of the family’s economic circumstances during the earlier years of her marriage. Her career provided an independent professional income before family responsibilities changed her working pattern.

Balancing Optometry, Motherhood and Family Responsibilities

Plese’s first child, Brendan, was born in 1993. After his birth, she moved from full-time optometry into part-time work.

She continued working part-time around subsequent maternity leaves. Her daughters Skye and Caprice were born in 1996 and 1998, respectively.

By 2003, Plese had left the workforce completely. The court record states that she focused on managing the household and caring for the children after Robert encouraged her to stop working.

That career interruption later became central to the spousal-support analysis. At the 2018 trial, the court considered her age, earning capacity, professional absence,e and the functions she performed during the marriage. 

How Diane Plese Met Robert Herjavec and Their Marriage

Their First Meeting and Early Relationship

Diane Plese met Robert Herjavec in 1988 through an eye clinic. Herjavec was a patient receiving an eye examination.

Their professional encounter developed into a personal relationship. At the time, Herjavec was building his career as an entrepreneur rather than appearing regularly on television.

The relationship led to marriage in 1990. Their private family life developed while Herjavec’s technology career continued to expand.

Their 1990 Marriage and Family Life

Plese and Herjavec married in 1990. Their wedding has been described as taking place at a Croatian church in Ontario, reflecting their Croatian roots.

The couple remained married for 24 years. During that period, Herjavec developed his entrepreneurial career while Plese combined optometry with increasing family responsibilities.

Their family eventually included Brendan, Skye, and Caprice. The couple also accumulated substantial assets and enjoyed a high standard of living before separating.

Robert Herjavec’s Career and Diane Plese’s Role During His Rise

Robert Herjavec’s technology career began well before his television fame. He developed BRAK Systems, a Canadian internet-security company, during his entrepreneurial years.

The company later became part of a major transaction involving AT&T Canada. Reports have placed the 2000 to 2001 transaction at roughly $30.2 million to $31 million.

Herjavec subsequently built the Herjavec Group, known for cybersecurity and enterprise security services. By 2003, his business activities had expanded substantially.

His television career brought another level of public recognition. He appeared as an investor on Dragons’ Den and later became widely known through Shark Tank.

Plese’s role was different. She worked as an optometrist during the earlier years of the marriage and later left the workforce to manage the household and care for the children. The Ontario court record specifically describes her as a full-time optometrist who moved to part-time work after the birth of their first child in 1993. 

The court also recorded that Herjavec’s business interests grew while Plese managed the household. That division of responsibilities later formed part of the analysis of economic advantages and disadvantages arising from the marriage.

Diane Plese’s Children and Family

Brendan Herjavec

Brendan Herjavec was born in 1993 and is the oldest of Plese and Herjavec’s three children.

His education and career have included business-related fields. He attended Wilfrid Laurier University and later pursued further education associated with the Yale School of Management and the University of British Columbia.

Brendan has worked in areas connected with revenue operations and business strategy. He has also been associated with Building Blocks With Brendan Herjavec, a podcast project, including work connected with Jessica in January 2024.

Skye Herjavec

Skye Herjavec was born in 1996. She attended Havergal College in Toronto before studying Business Administration at the University of Southern California.

Her professional background includes investment banking. She has been associated with JPMorgan Chase and has maintained a comparatively private public profile.

Her career developed separately from the television career of her father. Public information about her current personal life remains limited.

Caprice Herjavec

Caprice Herjavec was born in 1998. During her teenage years, she participated in Toronto’s Mayor for a Day program at age 14.

She later attended Barnard College. Her university interests included rowing, where she competed as a coxswain.

Her professional history has included work associated with Frederic W. Cook & Co. as a consultant. Like her siblings, she has maintained a relatively private personal profile.

Diane Plese’s Role as a Mother

Plese’s role as a mother became increasingly central after her first child was born in 1993.

She continued part-time optometry work through subsequent maternity leaves before leaving the workforce in 2003. The court described her responsibilities as managing the household and caring for the children.

The family structure allowed Herjavec to concentrate on business activities while Plese handled major household and childcare responsibilities. That arrangement became relevant when the court assessed the economic consequences of the marriage.

Why Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec Separated

Plese and Herjavec separated in July 2014 after 24 years of marriage. Family-law proceedings followed, with Plese commencing the case in March 2015.

Public reporting has connected the breakdown with an extramarital relationship involving Herjavec. The precise private motives behind the separation were not the central issue decided by the appeal court.

The legal case instead focused heavily on financial consequences, property, support and the parties’ respective economic positions.

The Ontario Court of Appeal later reviewed Herjavec’s challenge to the spousal-support order. 

Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec’s Divorce: Court Case and Timeline

Divorce Proceedings and Legal Timeline

The couple separated in 2014 after a 24-year marriage. Plese commenced the family-law proceedings on March 3, 2015.

The case involved more than a simple property settlement. Five major issues included allegations concerning a family trust, equalization of net family property, spousal support, child support, and retroactive support adjustments. 

The trial lasted four weeks and involved evidence from 13 witnesses. Experts addressed real estate, business valuation, and forensic accounting.

The case became Plese v. Herjavec. The Ontario Superior Court issued its principal decision in 2018, followed by an appeal decided in 2020.

What the Court Decided

The court determined that Herjavec owed Plese an equalization payment of $2,689,558. This was substantially below the $12 million equalization amount Plese had sought. 

The court also ordered $125,000 per month in spousal support for an indefinite period. Child support was separately ordered at $14,233 per month from May through August for each year the youngest daughter remained in university. 

Herjavec’s net family property at the valuation date was assessed at $24,155,510. His interest in The Herjavec Group Inc., or THG, made up a major part of that amount.

Plese’s net family property was assessed at $18,835,699, with her ownership of the matrimonial home forming a major component. 

The 2020 Appeal

Herjavec appealed the $125,000 monthly spousal-support order. His arguments concerned Plese’s needs and means, the application of the Halliwell principle, and the decision to make support indefinite.

The Ontario Court of Appeal heard the appeal on October 5, 2020. It released its decision on December 16, 2020, in Plese v. Herjavec, 2020 ONCA 810. 

The appeal was dismissed. The court found no basis to overturn the trial judge’s individualized assessment of Plese’s needs, means,s and compensatory entitlement.

Diane Plese’s Divorce Settlement and Financial Position

Did Diane Plese Receive $25 Million?

The widely reported $25 million figure represents the overall value associated with Plese’s financial entitlement from the marriage rather than a single $25 million cash cheque.

The court ordered a $2,689,558 equalization payment. Plese also received substantial property and financial interests connected with the marriage.

Contemporary legal reporting described the broader amount received from the marriage as reaching approximately $25 million when the different financial components were considered. 

The distinction is important because equalization, property interests and spousal support are separate parts of Canadian family law.

Why Was Diane Plese Awarded Spousal Support?

The court considered the length of the marriage, each spouse’s role during the relationship, and the economic effects of their family arrangement.

Plese had been unable to contribute to her own support since 2003. At age 56 during the trial, the court found that returning to her previous optometry profession was unlikely. 

Her career interruption followed years of childcare and household responsibilities. Those circumstances affected her earning capacity and formed part of the compensatory analysis.

The court also considered the parties’ financial positions. Herjavec had substantial capital and an annual income measured in millions, while Plese had virtually no employment income at the relevant time. 

Property, Assets and Financial Separation

The couple’s assets included a large family home in Toronto’s Bridle Path area. They purchased that property for $7 million, and it later sold for $17.395 million in 2018.

They also had a $2.6 million recreational property in Florida and a $5 million cottage in Muskoka. The family owned a ski chalet in Caledon and had access to a private jet through Herjavec’s company.

The court assessed Herjavec’s net family property at $24,155,510. The Herjavec Group formed a major part of his financial position.

Plese’s net family property was $18,835,699. The matrimonial home represented a major portion of her property position. 

Diane Plese’s Life After Divorce

Plese has maintained a private profile since her divorce from Robert Herjavec. Her public identity remains closely associated with her optometry career, children, and family-law case.

Her post-divorce life has received far less media attention than Herjavec’s television career. She has generally stayed away from the level of public exposure associated with Shark Tank and Dragons’ Den.

Her children have reached adulthood, reducing the direct family responsibilities that shaped her earlier life. Her financial independence also changed substantially following the divorce proceedings.

Is Diane Plese Still Practicing Optometry?

Plese’s documented career is in optometry, and she previously operated her own office.

She left the workforce in 2003 after years of part-time employment following the birth of her children. The Ontario court later found that, at age 56, she was unlikely to return to her previous profession. 

Public information does not establish a later return to full-time professional optometry. Her current employment status should therefore not be presented as an active clinical practice without supporting evidence.

Diane Plese’s Current Privacy and Public Presence

Plese has kept a low public profile compared with Robert Herjavec. Social-media references to her include Instagram, Facebook and X, but not every account using her name represents an official profile.

Her public presence is primarily connected with biographical reporting about her marriage, divorce, children and professional background.

Her current residence, relationship status,s and day-to-day activities have remained largely private.

Robert Herjavec’s Life After Diane Plese

Robert Herjavec began a relationship with Kym Johnson after appearing with the Australian dancer on Dancing with the Stars in 2015.

Johnson and Herjavec became engaged in 2016 and married on July 31, 2016, in Los Angeles.

The couple later welcomed twins. Hudson Robert Herjavec and Haven Mae Herjavec were born on April 23, 2018.

Their family expanded Herjavec’s children from his three children with Plese to five children in total. His television career continued through Shark Tank and other public appearances.

Diane Plese’s Net Worth and What Is Actually Known

Diane Plese’s current net worth cannot be reduced to the headline figure attached to her divorce.

The court established substantial financial figures during the case. Herjavec’s net family property was $24,155,510 at the valuation date, while Plese’s was $18,835,699. 

Plese’s financial position also included her professional history in optometry and property connected with the marriage.

The $25 million figure commonly associated with Plese reflects the broader financial outcome of the divorce rather than a verified 2026 net-worth statement. Estimates such as $25 million, $25 million to $100 million, or $100 million should not be treated as audited current wealth.

Her actual present-day assets, investments, property appreciation, taxes, and spending are not established by the divorce judgment alone.

Diane Plese’s Public Image and Media Attention

Plese’s public image is closely tied to her professional identity as an optometrist and her former marriage to Robert Herjavec.

Her connection to Shark Tank and Dragons’ Den brought indirect celebrity attention because of Herjavec’s television career. Her divorce then generated additional media coverage because of the scale of the family’s assets and the unusual level of spousal support.

The Ontario proceedings provide a stronger factual foundation than celebrity speculation. They document her professional history, family responsibilities, property position, and support award.

What Is Known Versus Speculated About Diane Plese?

Court records establish several key facts about Plese. She worked as an optometrist, married Herjavec in 1990, had three children, left the workforce in 200,3 and became the recipient of substantial financial orders after the divorce.

The court also established a $2,689,558 equalization payment and $125,000 monthly indefinite spousal support.

Claims about private motives, unofficial social-media accounts, precise current wealth, or present-day employment should not be treated as established facts without supporting evidence.

Key Facts About Diane Plese

Fact	Details
Name	Diane Plese
Nationality	Canadian
Profession	Optometrist
Background	Croatian-Canadian
Birthplace	Parkdale, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Marriage	Robert Herjavec, 1990
Marriage length	24 years
Separation	July 2014
Divorce	2016
Children	Brendan, Skye and Caprice
Equalization payment	$2,689,558
Spousal support	$125,000 per month, indefinite
Appeal	Dismissed December 16, 2020
Major case	Please v. Herjavec, 2020 ONCA 810

Conclusion

Diane Plese built a professional career in optometry before becoming the primary household and childcare parent during her marriage to Robert Herjavec. Their 1990 marriage lasted 24 years and produced three children. After their 2014 separation and 2016 divorce, Ontario courts addressed substantial property and support issues. The final orders included a $2,689,558 equalization payment and $125,000 in monthly spousal support, with the support order upheld on appeal in 2020.
Plese has since maintained a private public profile, while her documented career, family responsibilities and landmark divorce case remain the main facts associated with her biography.

FAQs

Who is Diane Plese?

Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist and the former wife of businessman and television personality Robert Herjavec, with whom she has three children.

How old is Diane Plese?

Diane Plese was 56 years old at the 2018 trial, according to the Ontario court record, which places her birth year around 1961 or 1962. 

What does Diane Plese do?

Diane Plese is an optometrist who previously operated her own office and later left the workforce in 2003 to focus on household and childcare responsibilities.

How did Diane Plese meet Robert Herjavec?

Diane Plese met Robert Herjavec in 1988 at an eye clinic, where he was a patient receiving an eye examination.

Why did Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec divorce?

Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec separated in July 2014 and divorced in 2016 after a 24-year marriage.

How many children does Diane Plese have?

Diane Plese has three children with Robert Herjavec: Brendan, Skye, and Caprice.

Did Diane Plese receive $25 million in her divorce settlement?

Diane Plese received financial and property entitlements associated with the marriage that were reported at approximately $25 million, alongside separate spousal-support orders.

Where is Diane Plese now?

Diane Plese maintains a private life after her divorce, with her current residence, relationship status, and daily activities largely outside the public record.