Please direct your media and public relations inquiries to: mediarelations@cdw.com 800-800-4CDW CDW Announces the Election of Casey Cowell and Donald Jacobs to Board of Directors VERNON HILLS, Ill. - November 15, 1999 - CDW Computer Centers Inc. (Nasdaq: CDWC), the country's leading direct solutions provider of brand name computer products, has expanded its board of directors and elected Casey Cowell and Donald P. Jacobs to fill the newly created positions, effective immediately. "We are proud to have Casey and Donald join our board as we continue to grow and evolve as a national business leader," said Michael P. Krasny, CEO and Chairman of CDW. "Both individuals are highly regarded for their vision and leadership and they bring a wealth of experience and commitment to the Board. We expect their insights and contributions will be invaluable, as we position CDW for growth in the millennium." Mr. Cowell co-founded U.S. Robotics, one of the world's leading suppliers of data communications products and systems. Under Mr. Cowell's leadership, U.S. Robotics grew to become the world's largest personal modem manufacturer. He served as Chairman and CEO of U. S. Robotics from inception until its acquisition by 3Com in June 1997. Cowell is chairman and principal owner of Durandal, Inc., a holding company for a number of diversified private companies, and serves on the board of directors of 3Com. "Casey's firsthand experience with the growth and development of a multi-billion dollar business and in-depth understanding of the technology industry provide a new dimension to our board of directors," Krasny said. A graduate of the University of Chicago, Cowell is a member of the board of trustees for the University of Chicago and the Illinois Institute of Technology. Dr. Donald P. Jacobs is the dean of the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management and has been a member of the Kellogg faculty since joining the school in 1957. In addition to his distinguished academic achievements, Jacobs serves as chairman of the public review board of Arthur Andersen and serves on the board of directors of several corporations, including Commonwealth Edison, Hartmarx, ProLogis Trust, and Terex. "Dean Jacobs has furthered the efforts of business leadership and management education and practice," Krasny said. "His expertise in this discipline supports our overall leadership development strategy." Under Dean Jacobs leadership, the Kellogg School of Management is known world wide as a premier school of business management. Dean Jacobs received his bachelor of arts degree from Roosevelt University, master of arts degree and doctorate in economics from Columbia University and numerous honorary degrees from prestigious national and international universities. The election of Cowell and Jacobs increases CDW's board to seven directors. The new members' term will run until the 2000 annual meeting at which time all directors terms expire. About CDW 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.