Please direct your media and public relations inquiries to: mediarelations@cdw.com 800-800-4CDW CDW Board Names John A. Edwardson Chairman Terry Lengfelder elected as new board member VERNON HILLS, Ill. May 24, 2001 - The board of directors of CDW Computer Centers, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDWC), a direct solutions provider of technology products and services, today announced that John A. Edwardson has been unanimously elected to the position of chairman of the board, succeeding Michael P. Krasny, CDW's founder and former CEO. Edwardson will continue to serve as company president and CEO; Krasny will assume the title of chairman emeritus and remain an active member of CDW's board of directors. "In passing the baton to John, I have made it known that he has earned my respect, as well as the respect and support of the Board," said Krasny. "I am even more excited About CDW's future than I was in 1984 when I started the company. I have complete confidence that John is the best leader to take the company forward as CDW evolves beyond where we are today. I would like to thank all the coworkers, customers, vendors and shareholders who have supported and trusted CDW and believed in me to make CDW a reality. Over the last 18 years, my passion for technology made a dream come true." "Since joining CDW, I have developed an even deeper appreciation of our history, as well as excitement for the incredible growth opportunities that we have ahead of us," said Edwardson. "It is a very special honor to assume responsibility for the company that Michael has so capably developed and nurtured for more than sixteen years." At the May 23, 2001 shareholders' meeting Joseph P. Levy, Jr. retired from CDW's board of directors after almost eight years of service. Mr. Levy is chairman of Levy Venture Management, Inc. Terry Lengfelder, formerly of Arthur Anderson, was newly elected to the board of directors to fill Levy's position. "Joe Levy has been instrumental in CDW's strategy and vision. Having served as a member of our board of directors since we went public, his loyalty and exceptional service are appreciated and will be missed," Edwardson said. "Terry Lengfelder is a distinguished business leader and proven advisor. He brings his business acumen and wide-ranging experiences to help guide our future expansion strategy." Lengfelder's professional background includes 36 years of service at Arthur Andersen LLP, working with leading global companies. He retired from Arthur Anderson in the position of Managing Partner - Global Service Quality in 1996. Mr. Lengfelder has previously served several terms on the Andersen Worldwide Board of Partners, including chairman in 1993 and 1994, and currently serves on the board of directors of Lanoga Corporation. 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