Waffle House manager remembers president, CEO Walt Ehmer as “incomparable leader”

ATLANTA — Walt Ehmer, the president and CEO of Waffle House, headquartered in metro Atlanta, died at age 58 on Sunday morning.

A manager at a local Waffle House told Channel 2′s Bryan Mims that she knew Ehmer for years and called him an “incomparable leader.”

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A graduate of Georgia Tech, Walt Ehmer joined Waffle House in 1992, and he worked his way up to president in 2006 and CEO in 2012.

He led nearly 2,000 restaurants in 25 states. But he was also involved in the community, with a commitment to improving public safety.

He served on the Atlanta Police Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

The foundation posted on Facebook that Ehmer was “a dedicated leader” and “an unwavering supporter of our mission to build a safer, stronger Atlanta.”

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In the spring of 2020, he frequently spoke with Channel 2 Action News about the restaurant chain’s response to the COVID pandemic.

Ehmer also served on the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

Earlier Sunday, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens issued a statement that said in part, “His leadership, dedication and warmth touched the lives of many, both within the Waffle House family and beyond.”

The cause of death and circumstances of Ehmer’s death have not been released.

Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

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