By Dennis Daniel (Comptroller, Smart + Strong)

On Sunday, July 10, Broadway composer and two-time Tony winner Jerry Herman turned 80 years old. The new octogenarian has had quite the busy year.

The revival of his musical La Cage Aux Folles just closed on Broadway after a very successful year-long run and garnered three Tonys last year. And in December he was one of the recipients of The 2010 Kennedy Center Honors for exemplary lifetime achievement.

His positive, happy and life-affirming musicals like Hello, Dolly! and Mame are performed the world over and many of the songs from them are now considered standards.

I could go on, but the clip below from the Kennedy Center Honors really says it all. Having lived openly with HIV since 1992, Herman was the February 1997 POZ cover person and has appeared in its pages and on its website many times since.

We would like to wish Mr. Herman a very happy 80th birthday and many more to come!