5 ▁but ▁returned ▁ 1 8 ▁months ▁later ▁after ▁his ▁successor , ▁Robert ▁Sad ler , ▁stepped ▁down ▁from ▁the ▁post ▁and ▁later ▁received ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁American ▁Bank er ▁L if etime ▁Ach iev ement ▁Award . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Wil mers ▁was ▁awarded ▁Che val ier ▁of ▁the ▁Leg ion ▁of ▁Honor ▁by ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁France . ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁Bank er ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁by ▁American ▁Bank er . ▁ ▁He ▁purchased ▁Ch ate au ▁Haut - B ail ly , ▁a ▁win ery ▁in ▁Bor de aux , ▁France , ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁Empire ▁State ▁Development ▁Corporation ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁State ▁Bank ers ▁Association ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Federal ▁Reserve ▁Bank ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁" bank er ▁of ▁the ▁year " ▁by ▁American ▁Bank er . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁rising ▁value ▁of ▁bank ▁stock s ▁meant ▁that ▁Wil mers ▁had ▁become ▁a ▁billion aire . ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁and ▁death ▁His ▁wid ow ▁Elisabeth ▁Wil mers ▁is ▁French , ▁and ▁they ▁owned ▁Ch âteau ▁Haut - B ail