Please direct your media and public relations inquiries to: mediarelations@cdw.com 800-800-4CDW CDW Wins High Honor for Training Programs Training Magazine Cites Company as One of Top 50 Training Organizations VERNON HILLS, Ill. March 20, 2001 - CDW Computer Centers, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDWC) the country's direct solutions provider of brand name technology products, announced today it has earned the No. 26 position on Training magazine's list of top 50 training organizations in the nation. The leading trade magazine highlighted CDW as one of the top five companies with the most personal development training and as one of several companies having excellent leadership development programs. "We understand that people are the key to our success," said Maria Sullivan, CDW's vice president of training and sales recruiting. "We're proud to receive this honor, because it reflects our desire to invest in our people. In the end, our customers benefit, because satisfied coworkers with the right management and technical skills deliver the best customer service," she added. CDW's business model is based on having a well-trained workforce. The company's training is driven by CDW University, a multi-disciplinary program focused on imparting business skills and fostering career and personal development. For example, the frontline sales force attends CDW University's College of Sales, which was founded in 1991 and provides all new account managers with three to five months of intensive product and sales training. This gives them the tools to provide customers the latest technology solutions that best fit their needs. Other CDW University training initiatives include: the College of Technology, which provides certification training for technicians and IT coworkers; the College of Performance Excellence, which consists of professional and business development skills training for all coworkers; and the College of Leadership, which offers leadership and management training for supervisors, managers and executives. "CDW's commitment to training is among the most impressive we've seen," said Bruce Fern, Executive Consultant, MOHR Learning, which is part of Provant, a leading provider of performance improvement training services and products to FORTUNE 1000 companies. Provant has helped CDW design and develop many of the company's sales and leadership development training initiatives. "Not only do CDW's executives and managers support training as key to company growth, they are also active as both trainers and trainees," Fern added. CDW joins such companies as Allstate Insurance Co., Hewlett-Packard, Wal-Mart and Kinko's on Training's inaugural "Top 50 Training Organizations" list. According to the magazine, the list honors companies that "have harnessed the one true competitive advantage in today's global economy - human capital." The list is based on Training's evaluation of detailed questionnaires submitted by companies nominated for the list, along with follow-up interviews. In its "Training Top 50" cover story, Training acknowledged CDW as one of the top five organizations dedicated to the personal development of its coworkers. The magazine also singled out the company's record of helping managers develop their own leadership abilities and those of their coworkers. For example, through CDW University's College of Leadership, managers, directors and executives have attended a three-day seminar at Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management, where Kellogg professors have led classes on such areas as team building and decision-making. About CDW Computer Centers, Inc. CDW® (Nasdaq: CDWC - news), ranked No. 435 on the FORTUNE 500, offers complete, customized technology solutions for businesses, government agencies and educational institutions nationwide. CDW is a leading source of technology products and services from companies such as Cisco, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Sony, Toshiba and other top name brands. CDW was founded in 1984 as a home-based business and today employs more than 2,700 coworkers whose efforts generated net sales of $3.8 billion in 2000. CDW's direct model offers one-on-one relationships with highly trained account managers; purchasing via telephone, the award-winning www.cdw.com Web site, and customized CDW@work(TM) extranets; custom configured solutions and same day shipping; flexible financing solutions; and, telephone and online technical support with its factory-trained and A+ certified technicians. Additional information can be found by visiting http://www.cdw.com.