Please direct your media and public relations inquiries to: mediarelations@cdw.com 800-800-4CDW Customer-focused IT Innovations Move CDW Up the InformationWeek 500 Ranking VERNON HILLS, Ill. - September 30, 1999 - Breakthroughs in E-business and online customer service moved CDW Computer Centers, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDWC) up to No. 55 on the InformationWeek 500 this year. The ranking, which appeared in the September 27 issue of the well-known IT publication, strengthens CDW's position as one of the most innovative users of information technology. "Our success as an information technology innovator is a tribute to our focus and commitment to finding creative solutions to business problems," said Jim Shanks, CIO at CDW. "Technology gives us an opportunity to streamline processes, improve services and, most important, get closer to our customers." As the country's leading direct solutions provider of brand name computer products, CDW uses the technology it sells. According to the InformationWeek research, companies aren't successful because of how much technology they purchase, but because of the innovative ways that companies like CDW apply this technology. In addition to application of IT systems, companies in every industry are turning to E-business to enhance customer relationships. In fact, E-business was rated the top business, organizational and technology priority for IT managers at InformationWeek 500 companies. From its leading position on the Internet with its debut in 1995, CDW has expanded its successful CDW.com site to include CDW@work, a customized, secure site for business customers. With CDW@work, the company has successfully balanced high tech and high touch by leveraging the benefits of technology with personalization that addresses the unique needs of each customer. More than 18,000 businesses are using CDW@work sites to track previous orders, manage current assets, order configured systems and get access up-to-the-minute availability of their dedicated CDW account team. "At CDW, we constantly generate creative, fresh approaches to business issues using IT. The key is listening to customer feedback and acting on it. For example, customers wanted to be able to name their price point for products. We responded with Buyer's Alert, an electronic system that notifies customers when their product reaches their specified price," said Shanks. "We make our customers' day just a little bit easier, and that's the value of technology." Companies included in the InformationWeek 500 reported at least $1 billion in annual revenue and demonstrated superior technological, procedural and organizational innovation. In addition to moving up in the ranking, CDW received kudos for application development, E-business, customer relationship management and business process/enterprise resource planning. 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. Additional information can be found by visiting CDW.com.