Walt Ehmer, the previous leader government of Waffle Space who instructed the diner chain throughout the pandemic and preached spending extra time in one in every of his 24-hour eating places with the ever-present yellow signal than in his place of job, died on Friday. He used to be 58.His loss of life used to be showed by means of the alumni affiliation of Georgia Tech, his alma mater, the place he used to be an energetic member of quite a lot of forums. In a remark, Waffle Space’s board of administrators stated he died after an extended sickness however didn’t proportion the reason or location.Waffle Space used to be based in 1955 by means of two neighbors in Georgia, and now has 2,000 places throughout 25 states in the USA.The chain is understood for staying open in any respect hours, all 12 months, and in tricky instances. Mr. Ehmer helped the corporate play a task as a gauge for the severity of a herbal crisis, and the so-called Waffle Space Index has been utilized by federal emergency control officers. If a Waffle Home is closed, that implies the neighborhood is short of assist urgently. If its menu is proscribed, it approach meals and gear provides within the house could be restricted.That used to be specifically true all through the coronavirus pandemic, when Mr. Ehmer used to be one in every of few executives who insisted that his eating places reopen for in-person eating all through strict lockdowns.“Not one of the individuals who make the choices to close down companies and have an effect on other people’s livelihoods ever have their very own livelihood impacted,” Mr. Ehmer advised Trade Insider in 2020. “We’re looking to supply dependable careers and jobs for other people.”The insistence to stick open raised issues amongst some staff.Walt George Ehmer used to be born on Might 26, 1966, in keeping with public data, and lived in Atlanta.He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1989 with some extent in business engineering, and joined Waffle Space in 1992 as a senior purchaser within the buying division, in keeping with The Newnan Occasions-Bring in. He labored his method up via management positions together with vice chairman of finance, leader monetary officer, president and ultimately leader government in 2012.“I were given my first process alternative and my 31-plus-year profession at Waffle Space as a result of the relationships I made at Tech,” Mr. Ehmer advised the varsity’s alumni mag.His reference to Georgia Tech went past skilled ties — all 3 of his kids, Gregory Ehmer, Anna Ehmer and Lesley Ehmer — attended the varsity, in keeping with the alumni mag. Along with his kids, Mr. Ehmer is survived by means of his spouse, Kara Petracek Ehmer.Waffle Space was ubiquitous around the South, recognized for its dependable syrup-soaked breakfasts and robust espresso. However its late-night provider may just produce what Mr. Ehmer as soon as known as “peculiar” conduct, together with a wild brawl that broke out between staff and consumers and circulated broadly on social media in December 2022.It has additionally been the middle of tragedy — inside of one week in 2018, a gunman opened hearth and killed 4 other people at a Waffle Space close to Nashville, and in southern Alabama, a disagreement between a Black girl and white cops at one of the vital diners sparked debates about racism and police behavior.At its core, although, Mr. Ehmer believed that Waffle Space used to be about bringing other people in combination. He summed up the eating place’s philosophy in an deal with to a chamber of trade in Georgia in 2023.“We’re within the other people trade. We truly pour into our other people,” he stated. “We don’t have any giant secrets and techniques. I all the time inform other people, it’s simply bacon and eggs.”
