Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa October 2013 | Page 11

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t 85 years old, George H Ross says: “If I
could do it all over, I would not change
anything in my life.” He is currently
Executive Vice President and Senior Counsel for
the Trump Organization, as well as business and
legal advisor to Donald J. Trump.
He is responsible for development of foreign
investments and supervision of leasing and
operation of 40 Wall Street in Manhattan’s
Financial District, directly across from the New
York Stock Exchange and the tallest building in
downtown Manhattan, as well as Trump Tower,
the world-renowned Fifth Avenue skyscraper. He
is also responsible for licensing, promotion and
marketing of Trump products. He has officially
been with the Trump Organization since 1996
but has been associated with Donald Trump for
many years.
Looking back, Ross comments that you can
plan all you want, but life takes you where you are
meant to be. He initially planned to become an
engineer. At 17, he joined the US Army because
they offered to send him to college. He attended
Clemson College and graduated from Brooklyn
College of the City of New York and Brooklyn
Law School and was admitted to the Bar in New
York and the Supreme Court of the United States
in 1953.
Ross practiced as a real estate attorney for
more than 50 years and, as the senior partner
of a major law firm, served as general counsel,
consultant and negotiator for renowned real
estate investors. He assisted with the acquisition
and development of major buildings and other
projects in the New York area including the GM
building, Chrysler building, Olympic Tower,
Trump Tower, the St. Regis, Stanhope, Grand
Hyatt, St. Moritz, Gotham Hotels, Graybar
building, 40 Wall Street, 100 Wall Street and
101 Park Avenue. Notable clients include Donald
J. Trump, AT&T, Katz Communications, Inc.,
Chase Manhattan Bank, United Technologies
Corp., Leslie Fay Companies, Inc., Samuel
LeFrak, Dutch Reformed Church, Lazard Freres,
Societe Generale, Western Union and Random
House. He has participated in various substantial
litigation and arbitration proceedings.
He says many real estate lawyers don’t know
about their clients’ business, their bottom line
and their future, and therefore they do not
understand their own unique abilities to add value
to their clients. Ross says he made it his business
www.reimag.co.za

UPFRONT
to understand those dynamics. He adds that his
most important real estate lesson has been that
is there is a huge difference between the legal
aspects of real estate and the business of investing
in real estate.
Ross has also been a lecturer on various subjects
relating to real estate and negotiation techniques
for the Learning Annex, Get Motivated and the
Billionaires Club. He is the author of two books
“Trump Strategies for Real Estate: Billionaire
Lessons for the Small Investor” and “TrumpStyle Negotiation”. For more than 20 years, he
was adjunct professor of the New York University
School of Professional Studies and Continuing
Education where he taught several courses in
negotiation and real estate transactions.
In addition to a multitude of real estate
investments as a private investor, Ross was a
co-founder of Beck-Ross Communications in
1966, which owned and successfully operated
multiple radio stations in the US until 1987 when
it was sold to a large conglomerate for millions of
dollars.
More recently, he has featured as a Boardroom
advisor on Donald Trump’s highly successful TV
show “The Apprentice”.

How it started with the Trumps
Ross recalls how he met Donald Trump at his
offices around 1974. Trump was 27 years old and
wanted to upgrade a run-down hotel, called the
Commodore and situated on 42nd Street, into a
first-class state-of-the-art business hotel.
Trump had a reputation for courage, which
was certainly required, as the deal involved
negotiations with government agencies and
other powerful parties to obtain the necessary
concessions. Furthermore, the building was
derelict and inh abited by squatters, with $15
million in taxes outstanding and mortgage
foreclosure impending. It took years of ongoing
discussions with the railroad executives who
owned the building, state officials, lenders
and other parties, extensive negotiations
and impressive out-of-the-box thinking to
successfully conclude the deal to the satisfaction
of all parties concerned. But Trump’s diligence
and determination paid off and in 1980 the hotel
re-opened as the Grand Hyatt New York.
Ross notes that he was impressed with the
27-year-old Trump’s tenacity and determination

GEORGE ROSS
Personal Statistics
Age: 85
Marital Status: Married for over 60
years, with two daughters and three
grandchildren
Hobbies: Tennis and golf

Close-up
Mentors: Ross’ father was his first mentor
but died when Ross was only 16 years
old. His philosophy was that life is a series
of tunnels: you dig, you get dirty and you
find the shortest way to the other side.
He subsequently had mentors in real
estate and law. Donald Trump always
uses Ross as a sounding board, because
he tells it like it is. Although Trump often
doesn’t like what Ross has to say, he still
respects Ross’ opinion.
Books: Ross is an avid reader. He has also
authored two books, one with Donald
Trump and Andrew McLean titled “Trump
Strategies for Real Estate: Billionaire
lessons for the Small Investor” and
another titled “Trump-Style Negotiation:
Powerful strategies and tactics for
mastering every deal”.
Biggest Achievement: Ross says that
personal relationships, not money, are
important to him. Despite his many
impressive business achievements, Ross is
particularly proud of the fact that he has
achieved balance in his life: he now works
four days a week and spends the other
three days with family and friends, not just
socialising, but also mentoring them.
The best financial advice you have
been given? Give more than you get.
Don’t think you can’t make a mistake.
Motto: Always follow the truth and
maintain your own reputation. Don’t cut
corners!

October 2013 SA Real Estate Investor

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