Long before Wendy Williams became a household name in American television, she was a rising New York radio host balancing an early career with her personal life. During that period, she married Bert Girigorie, a fellow media industry professional who later carved out a respected career in marketing and business. Their marriage lasted only a matter of months, yet Bert Girigorie’s name resurfaces every time the public revisits Wendy Williams’ history, especially after Lifetime’s documentary Where Is Wendy Williams? renewed interest in her past relationships.
This article covers everything worth knowing about Bert Girigorie: his early life, education, career journey, marriage to Wendy Williams, life after the divorce, and the business he has built in the decades since.
Profile Summary
- Full Name: Bert Girigorie
- Date of Birth: March 13, 1964
- Birthplace: Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
- Nationality: American
- Ethnicity: African American
- Education: Williston Northampton School; Morehouse College (Business Administration)
- Fraternity: Omega Psi Phi
- Profession: Sales and marketing executive, entrepreneur
- Known For: First husband of media personality Wendy Williams
- Current Company: President and Founder, G2 Marketing Inc.
- Spouse: Wendy Williams (married 1994, divorced 1995)
- Children: None publicly known
- Current Residence: Charlotte, North Carolina
Early Life and Education
Bert Girigorie was born on March 13, 1964, in Charlotte, North Carolina. He grew up in a close knit, Christian household alongside two siblings, Gabrielle and Bruce Girigorie. Family members who have spoken about his upbringing describe a home environment built around discipline, faith, and respect, values that reportedly shaped his approach to both relationships and business later in life.
For his early education, Bert attended the Williston Northampton School, a private preparatory school known for its academic rigor. He then went on to Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, one of the most prestigious historically Black colleges in the United States, where he studied Business Administration. While at Morehouse, he joined the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, an experience that many alumni credit with sharpening leadership skills and building a strong sense of community responsibility.
This academic foundation, business theory paired with a private college network, laid the groundwork for the sales and marketing career he would go on to build.
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Career Beginnings
After finishing his studies, Bert Girigorie moved into the media and advertising world. He landed a position as an account executive at Kiss FM, a well known New York radio station, in the early 1990s. In this role, he handled advertising sales, built client relationships, and worked closely with the on air talent whose shows generated the station’s revenue. It was this job that placed him in the same professional circle as Wendy Williams, who was then building her own reputation as a bold, outspoken radio personality.
Bert spent roughly five years at Kiss FM, gaining hands-on experience in advertising strategy, client negotiation, and radio promotions before eventually branching out into broader marketing and business development work.
Key Highlights of His Early Career Include:
- Joined Kiss FM in New York as an account executive around 1991
- Managed advertising sales, client accounts, and radio promotions
- Gained direct exposure to New York’s competitive media and advertising industry
- Met Wendy Williams through his work at the station in the early 1990s
- Later expanded his skill set through continued professional education, including data related coursework through Coursera
- Transitioned from radio advertising sales into wider marketing and consulting roles by the mid to late 1990s
Marriage to Wendy Williams
Bert Girigorie and Wendy Williams met in 1992 while both were working in New York’s radio industry. Wendy has said in interviews that she was initially drawn to his calm, steady demeanor, a contrast to her own loud and confident on air personality. The two dated for roughly two years before Bert proposed.
They married in 1994. Wendy has described the wedding as intimate and meaningful, with her childhood pastor officiating and close family members in attendance. At the time, Wendy Williams was still an emerging radio host, years away from the television fame that would eventually define her career.
The marriage, however, did not last. According to Bert, the relationship became strained within months, and he has publicly said he heard accounts of Wendy being involved with other people during their marriage, allegations she has denied over the years in various interviews. Wendy’s own memoir also touches on tension in the marriage, though the two have offered different accounts of exactly what went wrong. Bert has said that at the time, he was not fully aware of the extent of Wendy’s substance use, something she has since spoken about openly regarding her earlier struggles with addiction.
The couple separated after approximately five months of marriage and officially divorced in 1995, closing a short but frequently discussed chapter in Wendy Williams’ personal history. The marriage resurfaced in public conversation in 2024 when Lifetime’s documentary Where Is Wendy Williams? revisited her past relationships alongside her more recent health struggles, including her diagnoses of aphasia and frontotemporal dementia.
Life After Divorce
Following the divorce, Bert Girigorie largely stepped out of the public eye. Unlike many people connected to a rising celebrity, he did not pursue media attention or attempt to build a public profile off the association. Instead, he returned his focus to his career, continuing to work in sales and marketing through the rest of the 1990s.
He has rarely spoken publicly about the marriage since it ended. One notable exception came years later when he gave an interview to the National Enquirer, sharing his side of what happened during the relationship after renewed public interest followed Wendy’s later career struggles. Outside of that, he has kept a consistently low profile, avoiding interviews, social media presence, and any attempt to capitalize on his connection to a famous ex-wife.
Wendy Williams, meanwhile, went on to marry her second husband, Kevin Hunter, in 1999. That marriage, which produced her only child, lasted over two decades before ending in divorce in 2020.
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Business Success with G2 Marketing Inc.
While Wendy Williams’ career took off in television, Bert Girigorie was quietly building something of his own. In 2010, he founded G2 Marketing Inc., a digital marketing and business strategy agency based in Charlotte, North Carolina. As president and founder, he has spent well over a decade guiding the company’s strategic direction, client relationships, and business development.
G2 Marketing works primarily with small and medium sized businesses, helping them strengthen their brand presence and grow through digital channels. The agency has built a client base across several sectors, including digital publishing and retail, and is known locally for combining traditional marketing know-how with modern digital tools.
G2 Marketing’s Core Service Areas Include:
- Digital marketing strategy and campaign planning
- Website and mobile app development
- Brand development and content creation
- Revenue growth and sales strategy consulting
- Business development and long term client relationship management
Under Bert’s leadership, G2 Marketing has operated for more than fifteen years, a track record that reflects the same discipline and consistency he reportedly developed during his years at Kiss FM. Rather than chasing short lived trends, his approach centers on sustainable strategy and long term client partnerships, an EEAT relevant distinction that separates his firm from agencies focused purely on quick wins.
Personal Life Today
Today, Bert Girigorie lives a private life in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he continues to run G2 Marketing. He has not disclosed any information about a current relationship or remarriage, and there is no public record of him having children. He maintains little to no visible social media presence beyond professional networking platforms tied to his business.
Because he has never sought celebrity status, verified financial figures about him are limited. Various sources estimate his net worth anywhere between roughly 500,000 dollars and 3 million dollars, based on his decades long career in sales, marketing, and business ownership. These figures are unconfirmed and should be treated as informed estimates rather than fact.
What remains consistent across every account of his life is a clear pattern: professional focus over public attention, and privacy over publicity, even as interest in his brief marriage to Wendy Williams periodically resurfaces.
Conclusion
Bert Girigorie’s story is often reduced to a single line: Wendy Williams’ first husband. Yet his life extends far beyond that five month marriage from three decades ago. From his upbringing in Charlotte and his education at Morehouse College, to his early career in New York radio advertising and his eventual success as the founder of G2 Marketing Inc., Bert has built a steady, business focused life largely outside the spotlight. While his brief connection to Wendy Williams will likely always be part of how he is introduced, his real story is one of quiet consistency, entrepreneurship, and a deliberate choice to stay out of the public conversation his ex wife’s fame continues to generate.
FAQs
Who is Bert Girigorie?
Bert Girigorie is an American sales and marketing executive best known as the first husband of media personality Wendy Williams. He is also the founder and president of G2 Marketing Inc.
How did Bert Girigorie meet Wendy Williams?
They met in 1992 while both were working in the New York radio industry, where Bert was an account executive and Wendy was building her career as a radio host.
How long were Bert Girigorie and Wendy Williams married?
They married in 1994 and separated after about five months, with their divorce finalized in 1995.
Why did Bert Girigorie and Wendy Williams divorce?
Bert has said the marriage broke down due to allegations of infidelity and concerns related to Wendy’s substance use at the time, though the couple has given differing accounts over the years.
What does Bert Girigorie do for a living now?
He is the president and founder of G2 Marketing Inc., a digital marketing agency in Charlotte, North Carolina, that he launched in 2010.
Is Bert Girigorie married today?
There is no public information confirming that Bert Girigorie has remarried or is currently in a relationship. He keeps his personal life private.
What is Bert Girigorie’s net worth?
Unverified estimates place his net worth somewhere between 500,000 dollars and 3 million dollars, based on his long career in sales, marketing, and business ownership.
