ATLANTA (AP) — Walt Ehmer, the
president and CEO of Waffle House and a member of the board of trustees
for the Atlanta Police Foundation, has died at age 58, the foundation
announced Sunday.
Ehmer joined Waffle House in 1992 and quickly rose to senior leadership,
becoming president of the company in 2002, and later adding the titles
of CEO and chairman, according to information from Georgia Tech, 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 news release.
The board of directors for Waffle House 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 said.
Ehmer was chair of the Georgia Tech Alumni Association Board of Trustees
from 2012 to 2013 and served numerous organizations, including the
Georgia Tech Foundation Board and the Georgia Tech Advisory Board.
The Waffle House chain of around-the-clock diners opened in 1955 and now
boasts more than 1,900 locations in 25 states.
Ehmer is survived by three children, according to The Atlanta
Journal-Constitution.
