The Atlanta Police Foundation reported on Sunday that Walt Ehmer, the president and CEO of Waffle House and a member of its board of trustees, had passed away at the age of 58.
Based on information from Georgia Tech University, his alma institution, Ehmer joined Waffle House in 1992 and soon progressed to senior leadership, becoming president of the firm in 2002 and subsequently adding the titles of CEO and chairman.
Many people, both inside and beyond the Waffle House family, were impacted by his kindness, leadership, and devotion. According to a press release, Mayor Andre Dickens, “He leaves behind a remarkable legacy.”
In a statement released Sunday afternoon, the Waffle House board of directors stated that Ehmer passed away following a protracted illness. The statement continued, “His entire Waffle House family will be greatly missing him.”
In addition to serving other boards, such as the Georgia Tech Foundation Board and the Georgia Tech Advisory Board, Ehmer chaired the Georgia Tech Alumni Association Board of Trustees from 2012 to 2013.
Since its 1955 founding, the Waffle House brand of 24-hour restaurants has expanded to over 1,900 sites across 25 states. Three children survive Ehmer, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
