Walt Ehmer, the president and CEO of Waffle House, died after a long illness, the company’s board of directors announced on Sunday. He was 58. “His leadership, dedication and warmth touched the lives of many, both within the Waffle House family and beyond,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said of Ehmer in a news release. “He leaves behind a remarkable legacy.” The Georgia businessman is survived by three children. Ehmer, who became president of Waffle House in 2002 and CEO in 2012, started at the late-night breakfast spot in 1992 as a senior buyer and worked his way up in the company quickly. “We are one family,” he said two years after becoming CEO. “Everybody does the same thing, everybody wears one uniform.” Ehmer was also an active member of the Atlanta community, serving on the board of trustees for the Atlanta Police Foundation who described him as “dedicated leader” and a “tireless advocate for public safety.”