Please direct your media and public relations inquiries to: mediarelations@cdw.com 800-800-4CDW CDW Announces Executive Promotions to Position Itself for Future Growth VERNON HILLS, Ill. - April 16, 2001 - CDW Computer Centers, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDWC), direct provider of brand name technology solutions, today announced four executive promotions and organizational changes to broaden leadership responsibilities and support the company's growth strategy. The company, which has grown rapidly to FORTUNE 500 status, announced the following promotions effective April 30: Harry J. Harczak, Jr., Paul A. Kozak and James R. Shanks to executive vice presidents reporting to John A. Edwardson, president and CEO; and Douglas E. Eckrote to senior vice president, reporting to Gregory C. Zeman, vice chairman. Shanks also was named president of CDW Government, Inc., (CDW-G) a wholly-owned subsidiary of CDW. In addition, to align reporting responsibilities with business strategy, the following executives will now report to Edwardson: Daniel B. Kass, executive vice president of sales; Arthur S. Friedson, vice president of coworker services; and Joseph K. Kremer, vice president of marketing. "I am thrilled with the strength of the management team that I inherited. They have a proven track record of creating growth and profitability," said John A. Edwardson, president and CEO. "At the same time, CDW's culture dictates that success means never being satisfied. We have realigned the organizational structure to provide additional leadership opportunities for our senior executives, while also positioning the company for future growth. "The strength of this management team allows me to maintain a relatively flat structure that provides the flexibility needed to succeed in today's environment, while giving us the foundation for a strategic vision that will take us far beyond where we are today," Edwardson added. Harry Harczak, chief financial officer, has been named executive vice president of corporate strategy and chief financial officer. In addition to his responsibilities as CFO, he will assume a leadership role in developing the company's strategic plan for future growth, including the exploration of expansion opportunities. Harczak became chief financial officer of CDW in 1994. Prior to joining CDW, Harczak had been a partner at Coopers & Lybrand, where he worked since 1978. A certified public accountant, Harczak earned a masters of business administration from the University of Chicago and a bachelor of science degree in accounting from DePaul University. Paul Kozak will transition from senior vice president of purchasing to executive vice president of operations. Building on his years of experience in a variety of functions at CDW, his responsibilities will include the company's state-of-the-art distribution center, technical support and services and facilities management. Kozak joined the CDW team in 1987 as a sales account manager and became sales manager in 1990. Kozak was promoted to director of purchasing in 1993, vice president of purchasing in 1996 and senior vice president of purchasing in 1998. Prior to joining CDW, he worked as a sales representative for Price Electronics. Kozak is a graduate of the University of Iowa, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration. Jim Shanks, CIO, has been named executive vice president. While continuing to oversee the company's information technology and Internet strategy, Shanks will serve as president of CDW-G. Shanks will establish, manage and lead the business strategy of this rapidly expanding subsidiary that serves the government and educational markets. His efforts will focus on CDW-G's sales, marketing and operational activities. Shanks joined CDW in 1993 and was promoted to chief information officer in 1998. Prior to joining CDW's senior management team, he was employed by American Hotel Register for eight years as manager of information systems. Shanks graduated in 1996 with an MBA from Northwestern University's J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management. He earned a bachelor of science degree in computer information systems in 1991 from Barat College. Doug Eckrote, vice president of operations, will become senior vice president of purchasing, reporting to Gregory C. Zeman, vice chairman. Building on Eckrote's experience in other areas in the organization, his new responsibilities will include managing CDW's vendor relationships, monitoring sales cycles and trends, and overseeing billions of dollars in technology product purchases each year. In 1989, Eckrote joined CDW as a sales account manager. He was promoted to sales manager in 1991, director of operations in 1996 and vice president of operations in 1998. Prior to joining CDW, Eckrote worked as an outside sales representative for Arrow Electronics and Cintas Uniform Company. Eckrote graduated from Purdue University in 1986 with a bachelor of science degree in agricultural, sales and marketing. 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. For more information About CDW: Visit CDW on the Internet at http://www.cdw.com Contact CDW Investor Relations via the Internet at investorrelations@cdw.com Or by telephone at 847.419.8234