former chair of the pulitzer prize forum. [applause] thank you very much. it is my pleasure to introduce a number of great winners to the pulitzer prizes tonight. let me take a moment to recognize one of my predecessors both as the chair of the tampa bay times company and of the itzer prize, and barnes andy barnes is with us. [applause] our purpose here this evening is to say happy birthday to the pulitzer prizes. they turn 100 years old this year, which is older than anybody in this room, i believe. [laughter] this is a great tribute to a robust and resilient american institution. you to s also say thank joseph pulitzer who created these prizes. it is a very hard thing to when a pulitzer. it is hard even to become one of the three finalists. hundreds and hundreds of entries arrive in new york each year for prizes given in journalism, literature, and the arts. spinteer juries of experts spend days willing down the entries. the board members read every finalists entry and