Bert Girigorie: Life Beyond the Wendy Williams Spotlight

Most people come across the name Bert Girigorie while reading about Wendy Williams. He appears briefly — her first husband, the man before Kevin Hunter — and then the trail goes cold. That is entirely intentional.

Bert Girigorie is a Charlotte-based sales and marketing executive who married Wendy Williams in 1994, separated five months later, and has spent the three decades since building a quiet, deliberately private life. He never wrote a memoir. He never chased a reality show deal. While Wendy’s career soared into television history, Bert returned to North Carolina and ran his business.

That contrast — between the man who stepped back and the woman who stepped into every spotlight available — is what makes his story genuinely worth telling.

Quick Facts

Early Life and Family

Bert was born on March 13, 1964, in Charlotte, North Carolina, into a middle-class family grounded in Christian values. He grew up alongside a sister, Gabrielle, and a brother, Bruce. By every account, his upbringing was stable and structured — the kind of foundation that breeds discipline rather than drama.

What stands out about Bert’s early life isn’t any particular hardship or defining moment. It’s the absence of spectacle. He has never used his background as material for public consumption, which says a great deal about the man he became.

Education at Morehouse College

Bert attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia — one of the most storied historically Black institutions in the country, the alma mater of figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and numerous leaders across American public life.

At Morehouse, he developed skills in communication and business while participating in the college’s athletic programs, including basketball and football. More importantly, he was surrounded by ambitious peers who took their futures seriously. That environment shaped how he would approach his professional life: strategically, patiently, and with a focus on results over recognition.

Career: From Radio Sales to Running His Own Firm

After graduating, Bert entered the media industry as an account executive at Kiss FM in New York City. His job sat at the intersection of entertainment and corporate advertising — he managed client accounts, coordinated campaigns, and built the kind of relationships that keep advertising revenue flowing to radio stations.

It was a demanding, competitive role. And it was exactly where he met Wendy Williams.

In 2010, Bert founded G2 Marketing Inc., based in Charlotte. The company focuses on digital marketing, web and mobile development, sales strategy, and revenue growth consulting. It is a practical, client-focused operation — nothing flashy, nothing designed to get his name in the trades. Just a functioning business built over years of professional credibility.

How Bert and Wendy Williams Met

The year was 1992. Wendy Williams was climbing fast as a radio personality at Kiss FM. Bert was on the account side of the same station. They crossed paths regularly.

In her autobiography, Wendy’s Got the Heat, Wendy described noticing Bert immediately — his build, his bearing, the gray streaking through his hair. She characterized herself as someone “the strongest men” often avoided approaching. Bert was not one of those men.

He walked up and asked what she was doing that Saturday. She told him: he would be taking her to barbecues and public appearances. The relationship launched from that conversation.

They dated for roughly two years before deciding to marry.

The 1994 Marriage — and Its Quick Collapse

Bert Girigorie and Wendy Williams married in 1994. Five months later, they had separated. The divorce was finalized approximately eighteen months after that. No children were born from the marriage.

The timeline alone invites questions. Two people who dated for two years, seemed compatible enough to marry, and then imploded within a single season — what happened?

Why the Marriage Ended

In a 2019 interview with RadarOnline, Bert spoke carefully but candidly about what he experienced.

“It was very bizarre,” he said. “She just turned into a different person. I don’t know what was going on. I didn’t understand a lot of things that she did. I didn’t understand what her motivations were.”

The honeymoon in Rio de Janeiro became a flashpoint. Wendy wanted to go out alone at night, which sparked a serious argument early in the trip. Bert described feeling genuinely confused by behavior that seemed to have no logical explanation at the time.

He later learned, after the divorce, that Wendy had been struggling with substance use — something she kept largely hidden during their relationship. “I know she said she was doing drugs but she kept that away from me. I assumed that she was but I didn’t know anything about it.”

He also heard from multiple people that Wendy had been unfaithful during the marriage. “Several people came to me with stories about her being with other people. She would stay out all night and didn’t offer any explanation. That pissed me off.”

Bert has said what he needed to say on the subject, and then moved on. That measured response is consistent with everything else he has done since the divorce: acknowledge the facts, decline the spectacle.

Net Worth: Steady Growth, Not Overnight Fame

Estimates place Bert Girigorie’s net worth somewhere between $700,000 and $1.5 million. He has never disclosed this publicly, so any figure is an approximation based on his career trajectory and business ownership.

For context: Wendy Williams built an estimated $40 million fortune through her television show, books, and endorsements. Bert’s financial story is a different kind — slower, quieter, built on consistent professional work over decades. Neither path is inherently superior, but they do reflect two very different sets of priorities.

Life After Divorce: A Deliberate Withdrawal

Following the divorce, Bert returned to Charlotte and largely disappeared from public view. This was not an accident or a retreat born of embarrassment. It was a choice.

He built a company. He kept his personal life private. He watched from a distance as Wendy’s star ascended — and as it eventually, painfully, declined. He offered no commentary on her struggles with addiction, her conservatorship, or the documentary that brought his name back into public conversation.

That restraint is notable. Many people tangentially connected to celebrities find ways to monetize that connection. Bert has never made any visible attempt to do so.

Social Media and Online Presence

Bert maintains a Twitter account under the handle @BertGirigorie, identifying himself simply as a “sales & marketing professional.” Posts are infrequent — sometimes years pass between updates. He has no public Instagram presence and does not engage with entertainment news or celebrity commentary online.

His digital footprint mirrors his real-world approach: minimal, purposeful, on his own terms.

Does Bert Girigorie Have a Wikipedia Page?

He does not. Searches for “Bert Girigorie Wikipedia” typically surface Wendy Williams’ page, where he appears briefly in the personal life section. Wikipedia’s notability standards require substantial independent coverage, and while Bert appears in numerous articles due to his association with Wendy, he has not cultivated the kind of independent public profile that earns a standalone entry.

Given his preferences, he likely wouldn’t want one.

Bert Girigorie vs. Kevin Hunter: Two Very Different Men

The contrast between Wendy’s two husbands is worth examining — not as a judgment, but as context.

Kevin Hunter married Wendy in 1997 and embedded himself completely in her professional life. He managed her career, co-produced The Wendy Williams Show, and became the central figure in her public story for over two decades. Their marriage ended in 2019 amid scandal involving infidelity and a child born outside the marriage.

Bert Girigorie never attached himself to Wendy’s ambitions. He never sought a manager role, a production credit, or any financial stake in her success. When the marriage ended, he left — and stayed gone.

These are simply two different approaches to life. But they tell you something real about who each man was.

Where Is Bert Girigorie Now?

As of 2026, Bert Girigorie lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he continues running G2 Marketing Inc. He is 62 years old. He has not remarried publicly and has not appeared in any entertainment or media project.

By every available indication, he is living exactly the life he chose: private, professional, unhurried.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Bert Girigorie?

Bert Girigorie is an American sales and marketing professional and the first husband of television host Wendy Williams. They married in 1994, separated after five months, and divorced in 1995.

What is Bert Girigorie’s net worth?

Estimates suggest a net worth between $700,000 and $1.5 million, earned through his marketing career and G2 Marketing Inc. He has never publicly confirmed this.

How old is Bert Girigorie?

Born March 13, 1964, he is 62 years old as of 2026.

Why did Bert Girigorie and Wendy Williams divorce?

Bert cited sudden and confusing personality changes, behavior he couldn’t explain at the time, and later learned about substance use Wendy kept hidden from him. He also received accounts of infidelity from multiple people after the marriage ended.

Is Bert Girigorie still alive?

Yes. Despite occasional searches for an obituary, Bert Girigorie is alive and based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Does Bert Girigorie have children?

No. He has no children from his marriage to Wendy Williams or from any relationship since.