Updated at 3:10 p.m.
Atlanta resident Walter G. Ehmer, president and CEO of Norcross-based Waffle House, has died.
The passing of the 58-year-old businessman was announced on Sunday by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.
“I am saddened to learn of the passing of Walt Ehmer, the CEO of Waffle House and a proud Georgia Tech alumnus,” Dickens said in an online statement. “His leadership, dedication and warmth touched the lives of many, both within the Waffle House family and beyond. My thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time.”
After graduating from Georgia Tech in 1989, Ehmer first began his career as a sales engineer before joining the Waffle House team in 1992.
Originally hired as a senior buyer, he quickly worked his way up the company’s ladder, being appointed vice president of finance in 1998, chief financial officer in 2001, and president in 2006 before being named CEO in 2012.
A “hometown hotspot” for many Atlanta residents, Ehmer embraced Waffle House’s popularity and growing presence in pop culture.
“When you’re open 24 hours a day, all kinds of people show up, and all kind of things happen,” Ehmer jokingly said to The Newnan Times-Herald in 2018. “Everybody has a late night Waffle House story. You people do some really strange things late at night.”
On his philosophy of leadership, Ehmer told Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business in 2020 that handling the day to day operations of the company was a “unique American phenomenon.”
“It would be easy for me to sit in my office all day and send a memo out, send out a video, but is that what the business needs? We have 45,000 employees — that’s over 2 million shifts a year that have to be staffed, have to be managed, where we have to treat customers right,” he said.
“We are one family. Everybody does the same thing, everybody wears one uniform.”
In addition to his position with Waffle House, Ehmer also served on the Atlanta Police Foundation’s Board of Trustees. The foundation released a statement on Sunday morning through its official Facebook account.
“Walt was a dedicated leader, tireless advocate for public safety, and an unwavering supporter of our mission to build a safer, stronger Atlanta,” the statement read. “His passion for community service and steadfast commitment to improving the lives of others will leave a lasting impact on all who had the privilege of knowing him.”
In a statement to WABE, the Waffle House Board of Directors confirmed Ehmer’s death from a “long illness.” The company says it plans to share more details in the coming days and showcase “highlights of Walt’s 30+ year career at Waffle House.”
“For now, we know all of you join us in extending our deepest condolences to Walt’s family,” the statement read. “Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
Editor’s Note: This article was updated to include statement from Waffle House Board of Directors.
