Walt Ehmer, President and CEO of The Waffle House and a member of the board of the Atlanta Police Foundation, has died at age 58, the foundation announced Sunday.
Ehmer joined Waffle House in 1992 and quickly rose to senior management, becoming CEO of the company in 2002 and later adding the titles of CEO and chairman, according to information from Georgia Tech University, his alma mater.
“His leadership, dedication and warmth touched the lives of many, both within the Waffle House family and beyond. He leaves behind a remarkable legacy,” Mayor Andre Dickens said in a press release.
Steve Helber/AP
The Waffle House board of directors issued a statement Sunday afternoon saying Ehmer died after a long illness. “He will be greatly missed by his entire Waffle House family,” the statement read.
Ehmer chaired the Georgia Tech Alumni Association Board of Trustees from 2012 to 2013 and served many organizations, including the Georgia Tech Foundation Board and the Georgia Tech Advisory Board.
The 24-hour Waffle House chain opened in 1955 and now has more than 1,900 locations in 25 states.
Ehmer is survived by three children, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.