Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist best known as the former wife of Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec. She was born in 1959 and grew up with Croatian roots in Toronto. Plese built her own career in eye care long before she became a public name through her marriage. She and Herjavec were married for 24 years and raised three children together. 

Their divorce, finalized through Ontario family court, became one of Canada’s most discussed celebrity settlements. This profile lays out the verified details of her early life, her medical career, her marriage, and where her story stands today.

Who Is Diane Plese?

Diane Plese worked as an optometrist in Toronto before most people knew her name. She became publicly known after marrying Robert Herjavec, the businessman and Shark Tank investor. The two stayed married for 24 years before their separation. 

Together they had three children: Brendan, Skye, and Caprice Herjavec. Plese has kept her personal life private throughout and after the marriage. Her story includes a real medical career, not just a connection to a famous husband.

Diane Plese: Quick Facts & Bio Table

Several outlets report different numbers for her age, height, and net worth. The table below uses the most consistent and best-supported figures.

Early Life, Family & Croatian Heritage

Childhood in Toronto & Croatian Roots

Diane Plese was born in 1959 in Parkdale, a neighborhood in Toronto. Her parents were Croatian immigrants who settled in Canada. She grew up in a stable home where academics mattered. From a young age, she showed discipline in her studies, which later shaped her path into healthcare.

Family Heritage, Values & Upbringing

Her Croatian background brought traditions built around loyalty and respect. Plese kept those values close even as her life later crossed into celebrity culture. Her family stayed close-knit, and she has always guarded her privacy around her upbringing.

Education & Optometry Career

Optometry Training & Degree

Plese completed her undergraduate studies in the 1970s. She then trained in optometry and earned her professional license in the early 1980s. Her coursework covered the visual system, including how to spot and correct common eye defects.

Career as a Practicing Optometrist

She opened and ran her own eye clinic in Toronto during the mid-1980s. Optometrists in Canada earn close to $82,239 a year on average, and Plese built a respected patient base long before her marriage made headlines. Her work gave her financial independence years before Herjavec became famous.

How Diane Plese Met Robert Herjavec

Robert Herjavec first met Diane Plese in 1988 when he came to her clinic for an eye appointment. She was his doctor, and the two connected quickly. They started dating soon after that first visit.

Marriage to Robert Herjavec (1990)

Wedding & Early Married Life

The couple married in 1990 at a Croatian church in Mississauga, Ontario, honoring both of their family roots. At the time, Herjavec had not yet built his business empire. Plese supported him as he worked to grow his early ventures.

Family Life During the Marriage

During the marriage, Herjavec founded BRAK Systems, an internet security company he started in the basement of their home. He sold it in 2000 to AT&T Canada for $30.2 million, and that sale changed the family’s finances overnight. Plese focused on raising their three children while Herjavec’s business took off.

Children – Brendan, Skye & Caprice Herjavec

Brendan Herjavec

Brendan Herjavec was born in 1993. He earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Wilfrid Laurier University and later studied behavioral sciences at Yale School of Management. He completed an MBA at the University of British Columbia and now works in revenue operations and business strategy. He hosts a podcast called Building Blocks With Brendan Herjavec and married his partner Jessica in January 2024.

Skye Herjavec

Skye Herjavec was born in 1996. She attended Havergal College in Toronto before earning a business administration degree from USC. She later worked as an investment banking analyst at JPMorgan Chase and keeps her life away from social media.

Caprice Herjavec

Caprice Herjavec was born in 1998. She was once named Mayor for a Day in Toronto at age 14 and later rowed as a coxswain for Barnard College. She now works as a consultant at Frederic W. Cook & Co.

Divorce Timeline: Separation, Filing & Court Ruling (2014–2018)

Separation & Filing (2014–2016)

Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec separated on July 24, 2014. She filed for divorce in March 2015, and the process was finalized in early 2016. A related court decision, Plese v. Herjavec, was issued by the Ontario Superior Court in 2018 and outlined the financial terms of their split.

Reasons for the Divorce

Plese never gave a full public explanation for the split. Media reports at the time pointed to an alleged affair involving Herjavec, though this was never formally confirmed by either party. Herjavec later began a public relationship with Kym Johnson, his partner from Dancing With The Stars.

Financial Settlement & Spousal Support

The 2018 court ruling ordered Herjavec to pay Plese roughly $25 million, which included a $2.5 million equalization payment. He was also ordered to pay $125,000 per month in spousal support. The court found she qualified for compensatory support because she had stepped back from her optometry career for years to raise their children. 

Plese testified she expected to spend between $8 million and $10 million on a house and $1 million to $2 million on a cottage. The judge approved $10.5 million total for both properties, along with shares in the family’s Caledon ski chalet and a Florida property.

Family Impact on the Children

The divorce affected the whole family. Herjavec has said his children briefly stopped speaking to him after the split, calling them his greatest motivation to repair things. The three children were in their teen and college years during this period.

Diane Plese’s Net Worth Explained

Court records confirm Plese received approximately $25 million as part of her divorce settlement, plus ongoing spousal support. Some outlets estimate her broader net worth at closer to $100 million once property and investment growth are factored in, though that figure is not court-verified. Her income also stems from years of work as a practicing optometrist before the settlement.

Life After Divorce: Where Is Diane Plese Now?

Plese has returned to a quiet life in Toronto since the divorce was finalized. She avoids interviews and stays off social media entirely. Her focus today centers on her three adult children and maintaining her privacy, a sharp contrast to Herjavec’s continued television career.

Is Diane Plese Remarried?

There is no public record showing that Diane Plese has remarried. She appears to be living independently and has not confirmed any new relationship since her divorce from Herjavec.

Robert Herjavec’s Life After Divorce

Herjavec became engaged to Kym Johnson after their Dancing With The Stars partnership sparked public interest. They married in Los Angeles in 2016 and welcomed twins, Hudson and Haven, in April 2018. In 2017, Herjavec faced a lawsuit tied to a former girlfriend, which was dismissed in 2018 and withdrawn without any financial settlement.

About Robert Herjavec: Background Context

Herjavec grew up on a farm before studying at the University of Toronto. He moved into sales, working with IBM mainframe systems, before founding BRAK Systems, the company that made his early fortune. He later became known through Dragons’ Den and Shark Tank, where he invests in new companies alongside other prominent investors. He has also written business books, including The Will to Win.

Public Perception & Media Attention

Plese is often described as handling her divorce with dignity, especially given the media attention around Herjavec’s television career. Her decision to stay private has earned her quiet public respect rather than tabloid scrutiny.

Physical Appearance

Reports on Plese’s height vary between roughly 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 10 inches, so no single figure can be confirmed. Details about her hair and eye color also differ across sources and are not verified.

Diane Plese’s Personal Life, Hobbies & Social Media

Plese keeps a low profile online and is not active on Instagram or Twitter. Claims about specific hobbies circulate online but are not confirmed by any verified source, so they are best left unstated as fact.

Conclusion

Diane Plese built a real career in optometry before her marriage to Robert Herjavec brought her into the public eye. Her 24-year marriage, their three children, and the court-documented divorce settlement form the core of her verified story. Since 2018, she has chosen privacy over publicity, staying focused on her family while her ex-husband remains a familiar face on television.

FAQs

Who is Diane Plese? 

Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist known as the ex-wife of Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec. They were married for 24 years and have three children together: Brendan, Skye, and Caprice.

How old is Diane Plese? 

Diane Plese was born in 1959, which makes her around 66 years old as of 2025.

What is Diane Plese’s net worth? 

Court records show she received roughly $25 million in her divorce settlement, though some estimates place her broader net worth closer to $100 million.

Why did Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec divorce? 

The exact reason was never confirmed publicly, though media reports at the time pointed to an alleged affair involving Herjavec.

How many children does Diane Plese have? 

Diane Plese has three children with Robert Herjavec: one son, Brendan, and two daughters, Skye and Caprice.

How long were Robert Herjavec and Diane Plese married? 

Robert Herjavec and Diane Plese were married for 24 years, from 1990 until their separation in 2014.

Where is Diane Plese now? 

Diane Plese lives privately in Toronto, Canada, staying out of the public eye and away from social media.

Is Diane Plese remarried? 

There is no public record showing that Diane Plese has remarried since her divorce from Robert Herjavec.