He and his wife, former E!

Joining him in the boardroom in 2006 was Ivanka Trump.

Sharing an entrepreneurial spirit and a Trump connection, Ivanka and Rancic became friends.

Bill Rancic and Ivanka Trump

He opted not to extend his one-year contract, preferring to return to entrepreneurial life.

Some of those appearances allowed him to work with Ivanka again.

In a 2006 interview withPeople, Rancic was asked his opinion of the Trump daughter.

Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump Apprentice set

“Ivanka is really cool,” he summed up.

“I was really impressed with how sharp she is.

She’s very down-to-earth and an overall very nice person.”

Bill and Giuliana Rancic clinking glasses

As for Ivanka, shedistanced herself from her dad after he left the White House in 2020.

That’s about what you’d spend on RPM’s chicken parmesan or lobster ravioli alone.

(Don’t ask about the porterhouse steak unless you have deep pockets.)

He went on to pay the check.

The gesture made for good optics, but it turns out this might not have been necessary.