Please direct your media and public relations inquiries to: mediarelations@cdw.com 800-800-4CDW CDW Advances on FORTUNE 500 List VERNON HILLS, Ill. - April 2, 2003 - After a year of record sales and earnings despite a difficult economy, CDW (Nasdaq: CDWC) once again climbs FORTUNE magazine's "FORTUNE 500" list, moving up 33 places to No. 381. The company ascended the FORTUNE 500 for the second consecutive year, after debuting on the list in 2001. "Our steady rise up the FORTUNE 500 in tough economic times is a huge accomplishment and a testament to the hard work of our more than 3,000 coworkers," said John A. Edwardson, CDW chairman and chief executive officer. "We have grown because we have remained focused on our customers. We deliver the best experience in the technology industry with a business model that combines personal service, operational excellence and a coworker-centric culture." CDW, a leading provider of technology products and services to businesses, government agencies and educational institutions, ranks high in several FORTUNE 500 categories measuring corporate profitability and performance. CDW is No. 1 in its industry (wholesalers: electronics and office equipment) in profits, at more than $185.2 million in 2002. Among all 2003 FORTUNE 500 companies, CDW is: No. 11 in total return to shareholders during the last five years No. 14 in revenues per dollar of assets in 2002 No. 27 in revenues per employee in 2002 No. 34 in growth in profits during the last five years No. 37 in growth in revenues during the last five years CDW posted another record year in 2002, reporting an 11.1 percent year-over-year increase in earnings to $2.10 per share on sales that grew 7.6 percent to more than $4.26 billion. The 2003 FORTUNE 500 list appears in the April 14, 2003 issue of FORTUNE. About CDW CDW® (Nasdaq: CDWC), ranked No. 381 on the Fortune 500, is a leading provider of technology solutions for businesses, government agencies and educational institutions nationwide. CDW is a principal source of technology products and services including top name brands such as Cisco, Computer Associates, HP, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, and Toshiba. CDW distributes contracts to end users for customized and standardized on-site services supplied directly by providers such as HP Services and Unisys and for training programs provided by firms such as KnowledgeNetvand Productivity Point International. CDW was founded in 1984 as a home-based business and today employs 3,000 coworkers whose efforts generated net sales of more than $4.2 billion in 2002. CDW's direct model offers one-on-one relationships with knowledgeable account managers; purchasing by telephone, fax, the company's award-winning www.cdw.com Web site or customized CDW@work™ extranets; custom configured solutions and same day shipping; flexible financing solutions; and pre- and post-sales technical support, with more than 100 factory-trained and A+ certified technicians on staff.