By DAVID BERTOLA
Business First

Gordon Gross is founder of the law firm known today as Gross Shuman Brizdle & Gilfillan PC. He's climbed mountains, logged a million miles on his bicycle, is in the process of building 30 patio homes and has raised or donated thousands of dollars for area charities.

And after decades providing legal counsel to clients, his usual workday focuses on helping with the transfer of company ownership, and ends just after lunch.

But Gross, who turns 77 in April, has no visions of slowing down or retiring.

"Retiring?" he said, repeating the question in his spacious Main Street office, the walls of which are alive with photographs, certificates and other mementos that connect dots along a timeline that stretches more than 50 years in the legal profession.

"No," he said. "I'm busier than hell."

Busy.

Charitable.

Affable.

Gordon Gross is all of these.

His voice is raspy from a sinus infection he's been fighting. As he settles into a chair at a neat round table, his assistant of seven years, Betty Schillace, asks if he'd like a drink.

He opts for tea, presumably to soothe his throat.

As a State University of New York trustee, he spent March 10-11 in Albany, which was on fire after news broke of the Gov. Spitzer prostitution-ring news. The sinus infection came on a day or so later.

A voice for UB

Being a SUNY trustee takes up much of Gross' time. It also has opened his eyes to the importance of the University at Buffalo to Western New York. Consequently, he decided to step up his own personal donations to UB, a major focus of his.

"The university is just amazing; what a blow this Spitzer thing is," he said of the former governor, who has also been a strong supporter of SUNY and its initiatives. Gross wondered how UB and the other 63 SUNY schools will be affected by his resignation.

"He was our No. 1 advocate," he said.

Gross' connection to UB dates to before 1955, when he graduated from the law school there.

Keeping a low profile

He founded his own firm at 17 Court St. four years later with Paul Gonson, who went on to become state Solicitor General. Irving Shuman joined the firm in 1960.

"In the beginning, we did everything," he said of the firm's early days. "Like everything else, you do whatever the client wants. Today, we have a nice little boutique-type practice."

Over the years, the firm began focusing more on business law for small and large companies. He said the firm has opted to not advertise, which presents a dilemma, especially when it comes to the lucrative personal-injury-law practice.

Gross prefers to let his firm's reputation speak for itself, and mentions how much he enjoys working with the staff there - "except for one thing," he said, purposely raising his voice a little louder as he said it, because he noticed the door creaking open.

It's Betty. She's back with his tea, and the punch line to his joke.

"The secretary," she said.

The two laugh as she places the mug down on the round table.

He thanks her and she leaves.

And in his spare time ...

In 1999, Gross climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. He recalled how the volcanic ash that coated the slope made for tricky footing, and the high altitude made it difficult for him to breathe.

"I fell asleep three times," he said of the adventure, pointing to a framed certificate that hangs in the corner of the office. "The guide kept coming over to wake me up. He brought me water and revived me."

Back at sea level, Gross prefers pedaling a bike. At age 69, he rode across the country. Last year, he raised $28,500 for Roswell Park Cancer Institute's Ride for Roswell. He's planning to ride again this year and bike the 62.5-mile leg of the course, even though his left knee was replaced last year.

Gross also oversees 430 apartment units on Grand Island and is building 30 patio homes as part of the complex.

He and his wife, Gretchen, live in Amherst - not on the island, he cracked, to avoid the many tenants there.

He laughed. "You think I want those calls every day?"