Please direct your media and public relations inquiries to: mediarelations@cdw.com 800-800-4CDW HP AND CDW ANNOUNCE INITIATIVE TO FOCUS ON NEEDS OF SMALL- AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES Palo Alto, Calif. - April 12, 1999 - Hewlett-Packard Company and CDW Computer Centers, Inc. today announced an aggressive new marketing program targeting small- and medium-sized businesses (SMB). The new program is designed to provide SMB customers with services that make it faster and easier than ever before to purchase a wide variety of popular HP computer products. Dedicated CDW representatives will provide sales and support for a variety of popular HP business products, including the company's line of HP Brio PCs and HP Vectra PCs, all-in-one products, and HP ProCurve networking hardware. CDW also offers the ability to purchase a wide variety of HP supplies and accessories along with other compatible products. Highlights of the new program include the following: Dedicated customer phone lines -- CDW's expertly trained, dedicated HP account team is available through a dedicated telephone number (1-888-239-4239) to provide in-depth HP product information and take customer orders. A customer-focused Web site -- Customers will have direct access to HP product information and the ability to research and purchase HP computer products through a new HP and CDW SMB Web site, http://www.cdw.com/hp. In most cases, products purchased from the Web site will be shipped on the day they are ordered. A dedicated sales force -- CDW and HP have devoted a highly trained sales team to serve new and existing HP customers. "Our initiative with CDW is the latest step in HP's focused campaign to serve the small- and medium-sized-business market," said Kim Tchang, SMB sales and marketing manager for HP's Commercial Channels Organization. "Few, if any, other companies in the world can offer the breadth of computer products, service and support that HP does. This program marks a milestone in HP's ongoing SMB program and strategically positions HP and CDW to get these offerings into the hands of the people who want them." HP was one of the first computer manufactures to aggressively target the small- and medium-sized business market, while CDW has created a niche in the industry for servicing the SMB market. Working together, the companies offer top-quality products, one-on-one relationships with highly trained account managers, telephone and online purchasing, custom-configured solutions, next-day shipping, lifetime phone and online technical support, and other services vital to meeting the needs of today's small- and medium-sized businesses. "Teaming up with HP through this initiative, we are enhancing the way businesses buy HP solutions," said Joe Kremer, vice president of marketing for CDW. "Our relationships with and service to our customers has been heralded by the industry. This alliance will help our customers grow their businesses by bringing them quality HP solutions, along with CDW's outstanding service and support." About CDW CDW® (NASDAQ: CDWC), a Fortune 1000 company, is the country's leading direct solutions provider, offering complete, customized computing solutions for business and consumers nationwide. Founded in 1984 as a one-man, home-based business, CDW today employs more than 1,600 coworkers whose efforts generated net sales of $1.733 billion for the year ended December 31, 1998. For more information About CDW's products and services, call 800-797-4239 or visit the award-winning e-commerce Web site at www.cdw.com. For media inquiries or general company information, please call CDW's media relations at 888-239-7040. About HP Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global provider of computing, Internet and intranet solutions, services, communications products and measurement solutions, all of which are recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 122,800 employees and had revenue of $47.1 billion in its 1998 fiscal year. Information about HP, its products and the company's Year 2000 program can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.