Upon graduating from Georgia Tech, Walt began his career as a Sales Engineer for Allen-Bradley Company in Milwaukee, WI.

Walt joined Waffle House in 1992 as a Senior Buyer in the Purchasing Department.  He was promoted to Director of Purchasing in 1996, Vice President of Finance in 1998, Chief Financial Officer in 2001, President in 2006, and CEO in 2012.  There are over 1,940 Waffle House Restaurants in 25 States, with over 86% of those owned and operated by Waffle House, Inc.

Walt is currently serving as a director of Aaron’s, Inc.  He has served as a member of the Georgia Tech Industrial Engineering Advisory Board, the Georgia Tech Alumni Association Board of Trustees, and the Georgia Tech President’s Advisory Board.  Walt is a past Chair of the Georgia Tech Alumni Association and a current board member of the Georgia Tech Foundation, also having served on its Executive Committee.  He has served as Chairman of the Brookhaven Development Authority and is involved with several other charitable and civic organizations, including currently serving on the Boards of the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation, the Atlanta Police Foundation, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, and the University System of Georgia Foundation.

Walt lives in Atlanta and has three adult children who all attended Georgia Tech.

About the Impact Speaker Series:

Since 2002, the IMPACT Speaker Series has brought highly successful business leaders from a variety of industries to campus to share their experiences and give advice to students and other entrepreneurs on topics ranging from "building a venture around intellectual capital" to "successful entrepreneurship in large organizations" and "socially responsible leadership." The weekly series provides Georgia Tech students, alumni, and the Atlanta business community an opportunity to network and learn from successful entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and notable business and non-profit leaders. The lecture series is sponsored by the Institute for Leadership and Entrepreneurship.

The series is free and open to the public. Reservations are not required.