Please direct your media and public relations inquiries to: mediarelations@cdw.com 800-800-4CDW Newcomer CDW Ranks No. 36 on FORTUNE's 100 Best Companies to Work For in America VERNON HILLS, Ill. - December 21, 1998 - CDW Computer Centers, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDWC), was named to FORTUNE magazine's list of the "100 Best Companies to Work For in America." CDW credits its success to its unique culture where coworkers come first, while keeping the customer at the center of everything they do. In keeping with this philosophy, CDW offers unique coworker benefits including stock options for all coworkers; free bagels, sweet rolls and fruit twice a week; and holiday bonuses. As a reminder of CDW's customer focus, all paychecks are signed "From all our customers." CDW, a Fortune 1000 company and the country's leading direct marketer of brand name computer products, broke into the magazine's second annual best employer list at No. 36. The rankings, which will appear in the Jan. 11 issue of Fortune, were compiled through extensive research, analysis, and a poll of more than 27,000 coworkers at hundreds of companies nationwide, with coworkers of selected companies completing the Great Place to Work Index designed to evaluate trust in management, pride in work and camaraderie. The selected companies also completed the Hewitt People Practices Inventory, a 31-page questionnaire. "We want to provide our customers with outstanding service which requires that we provide a superior working environment to attract, motivate and retain outstanding coworkers," said Michael P. Krasny, founder, chairman and chief executive officer. "At CDW, we put our coworkers first so that they will in turn put our customers first." Fortune once again collaborated with authors Robert Levering and Milton Moskowitz who searched their database of more than 1,000 companies and selected 295 companies as the most viable candidates for the list. "Compensation is still certainly key," said Moskowitz on this year's selection. "But the list also reflects the level of trust, pride and camaraderie that employees share with management and their peers, as well as what practices the company has in place to support those things." Although CDW sales have quadrupled in the past five years and the number of coworkers has gone from one man 14 years ago to more than 1,400 today, CDW still maintains a family atmosphere with all coworkers doing their part to contribute to the company's ongoing success. In the magazine's Jan. 11 article, Fortune quotes one CDW coworker as saying "the CEO is not afraid to stack boxes in the warehouse." CDW strives to make each coworker's work experience life enhancing and to maintain its family-oriented environment by going beyond compensation and financial remuneration to the very essence of coworkers' professional and family lives. CDW's giving spirit extends beyond the coworker to his/her family and children, offering family-friendly benefits including educational assistance, adoption assistance and incentive trips for the whole family. CDW also offers "Mom's Corner," a special lactation room for nursing mothers. The company also hosts a grand holiday gala for all 1,400 coworkers and their guests, complete with headline entertainment and gifts for coworkers. During the holiday season, CDW sends a gift to the children of all coworkers and shares the spirit of giving by donating a matching gift for each child to Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. "As a trend-setting company in a fast-paced industry, CDW has emerged as an industry leader, growing sales at a compound annual growth rate of 48 percent from 1992 to 1997 and 32 percent for the first nine months of 1998. Yet as this ranking suggests, no matter how big or successful we get, we strive daily to focus on who really matters-our people," said Krasny. "At CDW, we don't sell products or services, we sell solutions. Companies don't provide solutions, people do. Our success is not just about moving product, it is about the names and faces-the people behind CDW who understand that the customer comes first in all that we do." In keeping with its people focus, CDW's mission is to work hard, play hard and share the company's successes. In fact, part of the company's mission statement is to " provide a fun and challenging work environment." One way that CDW rewards coworker loyalty and shares its success is the "Old Timers' Program." This bi-annual program awards expenses-paid vacations to coworkers with three or more years of service if the company meets a pre-determined sales goal. While the perks are plentiful, the company hasn't forgot the basics--the four basic food groups. Coworkers not only get access to the CDW Café, a highly subsidized cafeteria on site, they also receive free bagels, sweet rolls and fruit twice a week and free ice cream once a week during the summer. CDW also gives complimentary turkeys to all coworkers and their families on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The most exciting new benefit is the CDW Childcare and Fitness Center, which broke ground in October. The state-of-the-art facility, scheduled to open in summer 1999, will include a day care center for up to 144 CDW children, as well as a fitness center complete with weight rooms and basketball, racquetball and volleyball courts. Even more important than what CDW gives to its coworkers is the company's openness to feedback. Coworker empowerment begins on day one, with each new coworker receiving an orientation packet that includes self-addressed, postage-paid envelopes with a signed letter from Krasny asking for comments and ideas. Krasny responds to and acts upon the feedback, big or small. For example, one coworker commented to Krasny about the appearance of the restroom facilities. In response, the company piped in music, added a vanity tray with complimentary toiletries and decorated the areas with plants. The individual response is a reflection of the company's culture, which also translates into personalized birthday and anniversary cards for coworkers each year. "Whether you've been here one day, one week or many years, at CDW you know you are part of our family, part of our culture," said Krasny. "It is this philosophy and focus on our people that sets CDW apart. The difference is that we don't just give lip service to this mindset. It is part of who we are and what we stand for. "While we are proud of this milestone accomplishment, in keeping with our philosophy that 'At CDW Success Means Never Being Satisfied,' we commit to developing future programs for our people that will provide an outstanding environment for them to succeed and prosper," Krasny continued. About CDW CDW (NASDAQ: CDWC), a Fortune 1000 company, is the country's leading direct marketer of brand name computer products including PC's, peripherals, software and accessories, offering complete, customized computing solutions for business and consumers nationwide. With competitive prices on a selection thousands of brand name computer products, CDW is the No. 1 authorized direct source of Compaq, Computer Associates, IBM, Microsoft, Toshiba and other top name brands. Founded in 1984 as a one-man, home-based business, CDW today employs more than 1,400 coworkers whose efforts generated net sales of $1.6 billion for the trailing twelve months ended September 30, 1998. CDW's pioneering direct model offers personalized expertise through one-on-one relationships with highly-trained, knowledgeable account managers; telephone and online purchasing; custom configured solutions; next day shipping; and lifetime phone and online technical support, with more than 60 factory-trained and A+ certified technicians on staff. 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-CDW-7040.