Dagmar Romanow: The Courageous Immigrant Mother Behind a Canadian Success Story
Dagmar Romanow is best known as the mother of Canadian entrepreneur and television investor Michele Romanow. She left Czechoslovakia as a child after the Soviet-led invasion of 1968, moved to Canada without speaking English, and built a new life in Saskatchewan.
She later married Canadian energy executive Marvin Romanow and raised four children. Her family credits her with teaching compassion, courage, music, discipline, and respect for people who feel left out. She and her husband have also supported education and the arts through scholarships, university spaces, and charitable giving.
Who Is Dagmar Romanow?
Dagmar Romanow is a Canadian immigrant, mother, and charitable supporter with roots in the former Czechoslovakia. Her daughter Michele became well known through business and the television programme Dragons’ Den. Michele has often spoken warmly about the values she learned from her mother.
Dagmar Romanow’s Childhood in Czechoslovakia
Dagmar was born in the former Czechoslovakia. Michele has described her mother as an immigrant from Slovakia, which means the family came from the Slovak part of the former country.
Leaving After the 1968 Invasion
In August 1968, Soviet-led forces entered Czechoslovakia and ended a reform period known as the Prague Spring. Dagmar later explained that tanks had entered the streets before her family left. She was 11 years old.
Building a New Life in Saskatchewan
Dagmar arrived in Canada without knowing English. Her family settled in Saskatchewan, where she had to learn the language and adjust to a new school system and culture.
Dagmar Romanow’s Age and Family Roots
Because Dagmar was 11 in 1968, her birth year falls in 1956 or 1957. As of 2026, she is 68 or 69 years old. Her exact birthday remains private. Her father was Francis Hrudka, also known as František Hrudka. Her mother was Alice Hrudka. Francis and Alice were married for more than five decades and raised three children.
Dagmar Romanow’s Brothers
Dagmar grew up with two brothers, Mark Hrudka and Francis Hrudka Jr.
Marriage to Marvin Romanow
Dagmar married Marvin Romanow, a Canadian energy executive and University of Saskatchewan graduate. Marvin studied engineering and business before building a long career in the oil and gas industry. He later became president and chief executive of Nexen, a major Canadian energy company. His work helped provide family stability while Dagmar focused much of her time on raising their children. The couple has strong ties to Calgary, Alberta. Their wedding date has not been shared, but family photographs and tributes show a long marriage based on shared responsibility.
Her Own View of Motherhood
Michele once wrote that her mother had given up her whole life so her children could enjoy the best lives possible. Dagmar replied with a warm correction. She said she did not give up her life. She chose to raise her children, and Marvin’s hard work and success allowed her to make that choice. Her words show pride rather than regret. She viewed motherhood as a meaningful decision and a central part of the life she wanted.
Dagmar Romanow’s Four Children
Dagmar and Marvin have four children: Michele, Jacqueline, Nicole, and Richard Romanow. Jacqueline is often called Jackie, while Nicole is also known as Nicky within the family. Michele became the most widely known of the four.
Michele Romanow
Michele Romanow is a Canadian entrepreneur, investor, and television personality. She helped build several companies and became one of the youngest investors to join Dragons’ Den. She also became closely linked with Clearco, a financial technology company created to provide funding for growing businesses. Michele has described her mother as her greatest source of inspiration, grit, and drive. This praise gives Dagmar an important place in the story behind Michele’s success.
Lessons Dagmar Taught Her Children
Michele has shared memories that show how her mother shaped family life. Dagmar planned family trips, prepared school lunches, and arranged piano lessons. Michele still plays the piano, making music one of the lasting gifts from her childhood. Dagmar taught her children to be compassionate without becoming pushovers. She encouraged them to treat outsiders with kindness and to look at the world from a different point of view. These lessons combine empathy with confidence. They taught her children that kindness does not require weakness.
Dagmar Romanow’s Career and Education
Dagmar’s professional history has not been confirmed. No clear evidence connects her with a specific company, occupation, or formal public role. Her own words show that raising her children became a central focus of her adult life. This does not prove that she never worked outside the home. It means that no exact profession should be given to her without firm proof. Her education has also remained private. No school, college, degree, or professional qualification has been confirmed.
Support for the University of Saskatchewan
Dagmar and Marvin have supported the University of Saskatchewan for many years through scholarships, donations, and university spaces named in their honour.
The Marvin and Dagmar Romanow Scholarship
The Marvin and Dagmar Romanow Scholarship has helped university students, including students connected with the College of Nursing. The award reflects the couple’s interest in education and in giving young people the chance to develop useful skills.
University Spaces Bearing Their Names
In December 2025, the University of Saskatchewan approved three campus spaces named after the couple.
Health Sciences Meeting Room
The Marvin and Dagmar Romanow Meeting Room is located in the Health Sciences Building.
Graduate Student Lounge
The Marvin and Dagmar Romanow Graduate Student Lounge serves students in the Edwards School of Business.
Engineering Laboratory
The Marvin and Dagmar Romanow Rotating Machines Lab 2 supports practical learning in engineering. These spaces connect their family name with health, business, and engineering education.
Support for Theatre Calgary
Dagmar and Marvin have also supported Theatre Calgary. Their names have been included among supporters in programmes for stage productions. This support shows that their giving extends beyond universities. Theatre helps communities develop creative talent and come together through live performance.
Dagmar Romanow on Social Media
Dagmar uses the Instagram handle @daggie57. Michele and other family members have tagged the account in personal posts. Her online presence is mainly connected with family moments and personal thoughts. In a Mother’s Day comment, she linked her childhood experience of invasion with the suffering of families in Ukraine. Her words showed that the events of 1968 still hold deep meaning for her.
Dagmar Romanow’s Net Worth
Dagmar’s personal net worth has not been disclosed. Marvin had a successful executive career, and the couple has made charitable contributions.
A Life of Courage, Choice, and Influence
Dagmar Romanow’s journey began in a country facing military force and political control. At 11, she moved to Canada, learned a new language, and adapted to a different way of life. She later built a home centred on music, travel, discipline, compassion, and confidence. Her influence can be seen in the words of her children and in Michele’s work as a business leader.
Through educational and cultural support, Dagmar and Marvin have also helped students, artists, and community organisations. Her exact birthday, education, and career remain private, but her courage as an immigrant and her influence as a mother are clear.
