Diane Plese: Biography, Optometry Career, Marriage to Robert Herjavec and Divorce

Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist best known publicly as the former wife of entrepreneur and television personality Robert Herjavec. The couple married in 1990, separated in 2014 after 24 years of marriage, and became involved in a lengthy high-net-worth family-law case. They have three children together: Brendan, Skye and Caprice.

Although much of the public interest surrounding Plese comes from her connection to the Shark Tank investor, court records show that she had an established professional career of her own. She trained as an optometrist, ran her own office, worked part-time while raising the couple’s children and eventually left the workforce in 2003.

One point that deserves clarification is the frequently repeated “$25 million divorce settlement.” The figure is rooted in the broader financial outcome of the litigation, but it should not be described simply as a $25 million cash payment. The court record shows a $2,689,558 equalization payment, $125,000 per month in spousal support, and other property and financial interests.

Who Is Diane Plese?

Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist who became widely known because of her long marriage to Robert Herjavec, the Croatian-born Canadian entrepreneur who became a television personality through programs including Dragon’s Den and ABC’s Shark Tank.

Unlike Herjavec, Plese has generally maintained a low public profile. Reliable information about her childhood, current professional activities and private life is limited, which makes it important to distinguish documented facts from the numerous unsupported biographical details repeated online.

Global News reported during the couple’s 2014 separation that Plese was an optometrist who had been born and raised in Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood and was the daughter of Croatian immigrants.

Diane Plese at a glance

Detail	Information
Name	Diane Plese
Nationality	Canadian
Profession	Optometrist
Known for	Former wife of Robert Herjavec
Former husband	Robert Herjavec
Marriage	1990
Separation	2014
Divorce	2016
Children	Brendan, Skye and Caprice
Education	Six-year optometry program at the University of Western Ontario, according to the appellate record
Public profile	Generally private

The Ontario Court of Appeal’s published decision provides some of the strongest available evidence about her professional and family background. It states that Plese was 56 at the 2018 trial, had been married to Herjavec since 1990 and had three adult children with him.

Early Life and Background

Plese’s early life is not extensively documented in authoritative public sources. What is consistently reported is that she grew up in Toronto and came from a Croatian-Canadian family.

Global News described her as having been born and raised in Parkdale and identified her parents as Croatian immigrants. An earlier profile about Herjavec and his family also described Plese as a Croatian Canadian born in Toronto.

Specific claims about her parents’ names, siblings, childhood interests or exact birth date appear frequently on celebrity biography websites, but those details are not sufficiently established by high-quality sources. They are best left out rather than presented as established fact.

How old is Diane Plese?

Plese’s exact date of birth is not reliably established in strong public sources. A birth year of 1959 is widely reported, which would put her at approximately 66 or 67 in 2026, depending on her birthday.

Because the exact date is not firmly documented, stating a precise age without qualification would create a false impression of certainty.

Diane Plese’s Education and Career as an Optometrist

Before she became associated with a wealthy entrepreneur and television personality, Plese had her own professional career.

The Ontario Court of Appeal records that she was a full-time optometrist who ran her own office during the early years of her marriage to Herjavec. The appellate court also records that she completed a six-year optometry program.

Secondary sources identify the institution as the University of Western Ontario, now known as Western University.

Her professional path is significant because many short biographies reduce her identity to being Robert Herjavec’s former wife. The court record presents a more complete picture: Plese entered the marriage as a trained healthcare professional and business owner.

She initially worked full-time. After the birth of the couple’s first child in 1993, she moved to part-time work and continued working around subsequent maternity leaves. The appellate judgment says that in approximately 2003, Herjavec encouraged her to stop working altogether. She agreed and left the workforce to concentrate on the household and children.

That history later became important in the divorce proceedings because the court considered the economic consequences of the couple’s long-term division of responsibilities.

How Diane Plese Met Robert Herjavec

Plese and Herjavec’s relationship reportedly began through her work in optometry.

An earlier profile of Herjavec’s family described Plese as operating an optical practice in Toronto and recounted that Herjavec first encountered her there.

The relationship eventually developed into marriage in 1990.

At the time, Herjavec was still building his business career. The couple’s financial circumstances changed dramatically over the following decades as his technology businesses grew and he became a prominent entrepreneur and television personality.

Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec’s Marriage

Plese and Herjavec married in 1990 and remained together for approximately 24 years before separating in 2014. The Ontario Court of Appeal confirms both the 1990 marriage and 2014 separation.

Their marriage covered much of Herjavec’s transition from entrepreneur to wealthy business owner and television personality.

During the early years, both spouses contributed to the household in different ways. Plese worked as an optometrist while Herjavec concentrated on his businesses. The appellate court specifically noted that Plese’s contribution to the family’s financial security during the early years enabled Herjavec to take business risks that might otherwise have been more difficult.

After Plese left the workforce in 2003, she became the primary caregiver and household manager while Herjavec continued expanding his business interests.

The Court of Appeal described the couple as having viewed themselves as a “good team” during the marriage.

Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec’s Children

Plese and Herjavec have three children:

• Brendan Herjavec
• Skye Herjavec
• Caprice Herjavec

The three are Herjavec’s older children. He later had twins, Hudson and Haven, with his second wife, Kym Johnson-Herjavec.

The Ontario Court of Appeal described Plese and Herjavec as having three adult children at the time of the 2018 trial. The court also addressed child support relating to their youngest daughter while she was attending university.

Because Plese has remained private, there is considerably less reliable public information about her personal relationship with her adult children than there is about Herjavec’s television career.

Why Did Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec Divorce?

The couple separated in 2014 and the divorce proceedings subsequently became a major Canadian high-net-worth family-law case.

There has been extensive online speculation about the precise circumstances behind the breakdown of the marriage. Some reporting has connected the separation with an alleged extramarital relationship, but Plese’s private reasons for ending the marriage should not be presented as established fact simply because they have been repeated online. Contemporary reporting confirmed the separation, while later court proceedings focused primarily on financial, support and family-law issues.

The documented legal facts are much clearer than the private relationship details: the couple separated in 2014, Plese commenced family-law proceedings in March 2015, and the case ultimately produced significant orders concerning equalization, spousal support and child support.

The Diane Plese Divorce Settlement Explained

The financial outcome of the divorce is one of the most searched aspects of Plese’s biography, but it is also one of the most frequently oversimplified.

Did Diane Plese receive $25 million?

The $25 million figure is associated with the broader financial outcome of the divorce, but it was not simply a $25 million cash settlement.

The Ontario Superior Court ordered Herjavec to make an equalization payment of $2,689,558 and to pay $125,000 per month in spousal support for an indefinite period. It also ordered child support of $14,233 per month, from May through August, for each year the youngest daughter remained in university.

A family-law commentary on the case described the broader financial award as approximately $25 million, including the equalization amount and Plese’s entitlement to interests in certain properties, in addition to assets she had already received from the marriage.

That explains why the “$25 million settlement” figure appears so often in media coverage.

Financial issue	Court-recorded outcome
Equalization payment	$2,689,558
Spousal support	$125,000 per month
Child support	$14,233 per month during specified university months
Frequently reported broader financial figure	Approximately $25 million
Simple $25 million cash payment?	No

This distinction matters. Describing the case as Plese simply “receiving $25 million in cash” is misleading because the court’s financial orders consisted of several different components.

Why Was the Spousal Support So High?

The unusually large monthly support award reflected the exceptional financial circumstances of the marriage rather than an ordinary divorce calculation.

The Court of Appeal explained that the parties had enjoyed substantial assets and an exceptional income during their 24-year marriage. Their lifestyle included expensive properties, private schooling for their children and access to a private jet through Herjavec’s company.

The trial court also considered Plese’s professional sacrifice.

She had worked as a full-time optometrist and operated her own office before reducing her work after having children. She ultimately left the workforce in 2003 to manage the household and raise the children. The Court of Appeal agreed that these contributions were relevant to her compensatory entitlement to support.

The appellate court ultimately dismissed Herjavec’s appeal and upheld the $125,000-per-month spousal-support order.

What Happened to Diane Plese After the Divorce?

Plese has maintained a notably private life since the end of her marriage.

Unlike Robert Herjavec, whose career continues to involve television, entrepreneurship and public appearances, Plese has not developed a comparable public media profile. Reliable sources do not provide enough current information to confidently describe her day-to-day life, present employment or personal relationships.

That lack of information is worth acknowledging rather than filling the gaps with speculation.

The last major publicly documented chapter of her story is the family-law litigation. The Ontario Court of Appeal’s 2020 decision dismissed Herjavec’s appeal of the spousal-support order.

Diane Plese’s Net Worth

There is no reliable public figure for Diane Plese’s current net worth.

Celebrity websites frequently assign a specific net-worth number to her, sometimes using the $25 million divorce figure as though it were equivalent to net worth. That is not a sound way to calculate someone’s wealth.

A divorce award can include property, support, equalization payments and other financial interests. It does not automatically represent a person’s present net worth.

The court record itself illustrates why the distinction matters. At the time of the proceedings, Plese had substantial assets, while her financial position was evaluated alongside Herjavec’s assets, income and business interests.

Accordingly, a responsible biography should say that Plese’s current net worth has not been reliably established publicly, rather than presenting an unsupported estimate as fact.

Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec’s Connection to Shark Tank

The reason Plese appears in searches related to Shark Tank is her former marriage to Robert Herjavec.

Herjavec became one of the better-known investors associated with the American reality business program Shark Tank. He is also known in Canada for Dragon’s Den. His public profile grew substantially after his entrepreneurial career and television appearances.

Plese’s connection to the program is therefore indirect: she was Herjavec’s first wife and the mother of his three older children, but she was not a Shark Tank investor herself.

This distinction is useful because searches for “Diane Plese Shark Tank” can otherwise make it sound as though she appeared on the show in a professional capacity.

A Closer Look at the Divorce Case

The legal case, formally known as Plese v. Herjavec, is notable beyond celebrity interest because it illustrates how Canadian courts can approach spousal support in a very high-income marriage.

The Court of Appeal noted that the parties’ four-week trial involved five major issues, including equalization of net family property, spousal support, child support and matters involving a family trust.

At the valuation date, the court found Herjavec’s net family property to be approximately $24.16 million, with much of that value connected to his interest in The Herjavec Group. Plese’s net family property was approximately $18.84 million, much of it connected to the matrimonial home. The resulting equalization payment was $2,689,558.

The appeal did not overturn the spousal-support award. The Court of Appeal concluded that the trial judge had properly considered Plese’s contributions, needs, means and the circumstances of the long marriage.

That makes the case more complicated—and more informative—than the familiar headline about a “$25 million divorce.”

Diane Plese’s Public Image and Privacy

Plese’s public identity has largely been shaped by her connection to a famous entrepreneur, even though her own professional career predates that attention.

There is a useful distinction between being publicly known and being a public figure. Her marriage, divorce and family circumstances entered the public record because of Herjavec’s celebrity and the size of the financial dispute. That does not mean that details about her current private life are available or appropriate to speculate about.

For readers researching Diane Plese, the most dependable information is therefore the information supported by contemporary reporting and court documents: her optometry career, her 1990 marriage to Herjavec, their three children, the 2014 separation, and the subsequent financial proceedings.

Frequently Asked Questions About Diane Plese

Who is Diane Plese?

Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist and the former wife of entrepreneur and television personality Robert Herjavec. They were married in 1990 and have three children together.

How old is Diane Plese?

Her birth year is widely reported as 1959, but her exact birthday is not reliably established by strong public sources. Based on that birth year, she is approximately 66 or 67 in 2026.

Is Diane Plese an optometrist?

Yes. Court records identify Plese as a full-time optometrist who operated her own office during the early years of her marriage. She later reduced her working hours after having children and left the workforce around 2003.

Where did Diane Plese study optometry?

The available biographical reporting identifies the University of Western Ontario as her university, while the Ontario Court of Appeal confirms that she completed a six-year optometry program.

When did Diane Plese marry Robert Herjavec?

Plese and Herjavec married in 1990. They separated in 2014 after approximately 24 years of marriage.

How many children does Diane Plese have?

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

Did Diane Plese receive $25 million from the divorce?

The broader financial outcome is commonly reported as approximately $25 million, but it is inaccurate to describe this simply as a $25 million cash settlement. The court ordered a $2,689,558 equalization payment, $125,000 per month in spousal support and other financial/property arrangements.

How much spousal support was Diane Plese awarded?

The Ontario Superior Court ordered Robert Herjavec to pay Plese $125,000 per month for an indefinite period. The Ontario Court of Appeal later dismissed Herjavec’s appeal of the order.

What is Diane Plese’s net worth?

Her current net worth is not reliably established. Online estimates should not be treated as verified figures, particularly when they simply equate the widely reported divorce figure with present-day wealth.

Where is Diane Plese now?

Plese has largely remained out of the public spotlight. Reliable public sources provide limited information about her current personal or professional life, so specific claims about her present activities should be treated cautiously.

Conclusion: Diane Plese’s Story Is More Than a Divorce Settlement

Diane Plese is often introduced simply as Robert Herjavec’s ex-wife, but the documented record shows a fuller story. She trained and worked as an optometrist, operated her own practice, helped raise three children and spent more than two decades married to an entrepreneur whose business career grew substantially during their relationship.

Her divorce became newsworthy because of the family’s wealth and the size of the resulting support order. Yet the frequently repeated “$25 million settlement” label needs context: the court’s actual orders involved a $2.69 million equalization payment, $125,000 monthly spousal support and other financial interests—not a single $25 million cash cheque.

For anyone researching Diane Plese today, the most responsible picture is therefore one of a private Canadian professional whose public profile came largely through her marriage, family and high-profile divorce, rather than through a career in entertainment herself.