Diane Plese: Biography, Career, Family, Divorce and Life in 2026

Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist who became publicly known through her long marriage to entrepreneur and television personality Robert Herjavec. Although Herjavec later became internationally recognized through Shark Tank and Dragons’ Den, Plese had her own professional identity and career before and during their marriage.

Her life has attracted attention because of her career in optometry, her role as a mother of three children, her long marriage to Herjavec, and the substantial family-law proceedings that followed their separation. At the same time, Plese has generally maintained a private life, meaning that many personal details repeated online are not firmly documented.

Who Is Diane Plese?

Diane Plese is a Canadian optometrist and the former wife of Robert Herjavec, the Canadian entrepreneur and television investor. Herjavec became widely known through business television, particularly Shark Tank in the United States and Dragons’ Den in Canada.

Plese and Herjavec married in 1990 and separated in 2014, after approximately 24 years of marriage. The Ontario Court of Appeal’s published decision in Plese v. Herjavec confirms both the marriage and separation dates.

While many internet biographies describe Plese primarily as Herjavec’s former wife, the court record provides an important additional detail: she was a full-time optometrist who operated her own office during the early years of the marriage.

This professional background is central to understanding her story because her career later changed as she became increasingly responsible for caring for the couple’s children and managing the household.

Diane Plese Age, Early Life and Education

Public biographies generally place Diane Plese’s birth year in 1959, making her approximately 67 years old in 2026. However, her exact date of birth is not clearly established in strong primary sources, so specific birthday claims found on celebrity websites should be treated cautiously.

Reports generally identify her as being from Toronto, Canada, with Croatian family roots. Detailed information about her parents, childhood, siblings, and early education is limited in authoritative public records.

Her professional training in optometry is much better established. By the time she married Herjavec, she had already developed a professional career and was operating her own optometry practice.

This is significant because Plese was not simply introduced to the public through her marriage. She had an established profession of her own before Herjavec’s business success reached the level that eventually made him a television celebrity.

Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec’s Marriage

Diane Plese and Robert Herjavec married in 1990, when Herjavec was still developing his entrepreneurial career. The Ontario Court of Appeal later described their early marriage as a partnership in which both spouses contributed in different ways.

Plese initially continued working as a full-time optometrist. After the birth of the couple’s first child in 1993, she began working part-time and continued working part-time between subsequent maternity leaves.

The family structure changed again around 2003, when Plese left the workforce completely to focus on managing the household and caring for the children. The court record states that Herjavec encouraged her to stop working and that he benefited from being able to devote more time to his business activities.

The court characterized the couple as having worked as a team, with Plese’s early employment providing income and financial security while Herjavec expanded his entrepreneurial activities.

Diane Plese Children and Family Life

Plese and Herjavec have three children: Brendan, Skye, and Caprice. People has confirmed that these three are Herjavec’s children from his previous marriage to Diane Plese.

Their son Brendan Herjavec was born in 1993, while their daughters Skye and Caprice were born in 1996 and 1998, respectively, according to People.

As the children grew, Plese became increasingly focused on family responsibilities. Her decision to leave her optometry career eventually became an important issue in the later family-law proceedings because it affected her independent earning capacity.

The family also experienced a dramatic increase in wealth as Herjavec’s businesses became increasingly successful. His entrepreneurial career eventually included the founding of BRAK Systems, which he sold to AT&T Canada for approximately $30 million in 2000.

The contrast between Plese’s professional career and her later role as the primary caregiver became an important part of the legal discussion following the couple’s separation.

Diane Plese Divorce and Major Court Case

The marriage ended with a separation in 2014, followed by extensive family-law proceedings.

The Ontario Court of Appeal decision in Plese v. Herjavec, released in December 2020, provides unusually detailed information about the couple’s financial and family circumstances. The case involved property equalization, spousal support, child support, and issues involving a family trust.

After a four-week trial, the original court ordered Herjavec to make an equalization payment of $2,689,558 and pay $125,000 per month in spousal support. Child support was also ordered for the youngest daughter while she was attending university.

Herjavec appealed the spousal-support order, but the Ontario Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal in 2020. The appellate court emphasized the individualized circumstances of the long marriage and upheld the trial court’s approach.

The case is notable beyond the celebrity connection because it has been discussed in Canadian family-law materials as an example involving high-income spouses, compensatory spousal support, long marriages, and the economic consequences of leaving the workforce to care for children.

Diane Plese Career as an Optometrist

One of the most important aspects of Diane Plese’s career is her work in eye care.

The Ontario Court of Appeal explicitly records that she was a full-time optometrist running her own office during the early part of her marriage. She began reducing her working hours after the birth of her first child in 1993.

Her career therefore existed independently of Robert Herjavec’s growing business empire.

The later court proceedings examined how leaving paid employment affected Plese’s economic position. The court noted that her early income had provided a financial safety net for the family and that her professional contributions were important during the early years of Herjavec’s entrepreneurship.

Her story consequently illustrates how a person’s professional identity can change significantly when family responsibilities become the primary focus.

Diane Plese Net Worth and Financial Information

Diane Plese’s exact current net worth is not publicly established.

Numerous websites publish estimates about her wealth, particularly because of the financial settlement following her divorce from Herjavec. However, an individual’s court-awarded property equalization or support payments should not automatically be described as their present-day net worth.

The 2020 appellate decision records that the trial court ordered substantial financial payments, including the $2.689 million equalization payment and $125,000 monthly spousal support.

The court also discussed the couple’s substantial assets and the different earning capacities of the two spouses. However, these legal figures should not be confused with a verified 2026 net-worth figure.

For that reason, claims online assigning Diane Plese a precise current fortune should be treated as estimates rather than confirmed financial facts.

Where Is Diane Plese in 2026?

In 2026, Diane Plese remains a relatively private person. Unlike Robert Herjavec, whose career keeps him regularly visible through television and business media, Plese has generally avoided maintaining a major public profile.

Her former husband is now married to Kym Johnson-Herjavec, whom he met while appearing on Dancing with the Stars. Robert and Kym have twins, Hudson and Haven, while his three older children—Brendan, Skye, and Caprice—are from his marriage to Plese.

Recent 2026 reporting continues to identify Plese as the mother of Herjavec’s three older children, while Herjavec remains active as an entrepreneur and television personality.

There is comparatively little reliable public information about Plese’s current daily activities, relationships, or professional practice. That privacy should be respected rather than replaced with unsupported speculation.

Conclusion

Diane Plese has a story that extends well beyond being Robert Herjavec’s former wife. She was a trained optometrist, operated her own office, worked during the early years of her marriage, and later devoted much of her time to raising three children.

Her marriage to Herjavec lasted from 1990 until their separation in 2014, and their subsequent family-law case became significant because of the couple’s wealth, their long marriage, and the economic consequences associated with Plese’s departure from professional work. The Ontario Court of Appeal ultimately upheld the major spousal-support ruling in 2020.

In 2026, Plese continues to be of public interest largely because of her connection to the Herjavec family. However, the most reliable information about her life emphasizes her professional career, motherhood, marriage, and documented legal history, rather than unverified claims about her private life or exact wealth.