A History of CDW Corporation MTA
The Story of an S&P 500 Company

About this book:

CDW Corporation began in 1984 as a modest direct-mail startup in a Chicago garage, founded by Michael Krasny with a $2,000 investment. The company quickly distinguished itself through a customer-centric "coworker" culture, competitive pricing, and expert product knowledge, capitalizing on the PC revolution of the 1980s and 1990s. An IPO in 1994 fueled expansion, allowing CDW to navigate the dot-com volatility and the Great Recession with financial discipline. As hardware margins thinned, the company strategically pivoted toward high-value services—consulting, managed services, and cybersecurity—bolstered by key acquisitions like Berbee, Sarcom, and Sirius Computer Solutions. This evolution transformed CDW from a product reseller into a comprehensive technology solutions integrator.

Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, CDW demonstrated remarkable agility, adapting its sales models to embrace cloud computing, digital transformation, and hybrid work solutions. Leadership transitions from Krasny to John Edwardson, Thomas Richards, and Christine Leahy were managed seamlessly, preserving core values while modernizing operations. The company expanded internationally into Canada and Europe, strengthened a vast vendor ecosystem, and built a resilient global supply chain capable of weathering severe disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic. Inclusion in the S&P 500 in 2018 validated this sustained growth, profitability, and market leadership.

Today, CDW operates as a Fortune 500 leader providing full-lifecycle technology solutions across hybrid cloud, cybersecurity, digital workspace, and AI-driven innovation. Its competitive advantage rests on a unique blend of deep technical expertise, a vendor-agnostic advisory approach, and an empowered workforce culture. By continuously investing in emerging technologies, strategic acquisitions, and corporate social responsibility, CDW has cemented its role as an indispensable partner for enterprises, government, and education sectors, positioned to guide clients through the next era of intelligent, connected, and secure digital infrastructure.

What You'll Find Inside:

• CDW's evolution from a $2,000 garage startup in 1984 to an S&P 500 technology solutions leader through deliberate culture-building and strategic adaptation.
• The foundational 'coworker' culture emphasizing meritocracy, customer-centricity, and continuous learning that drove employee engagement and customer loyalty for decades.
• Successful navigation of major industry inflection points including the PC revolution, dot-com bust, Great Recession, cloud computing shift, and digital transformation.
• Strategic diversification from hardware reselling to high-margin services (consulting, managed services, cybersecurity) fueled by key acquisitions like Berbee, Sarcom, Kelway, and Sirius.
• Resilience through financial discipline, supply chain excellence, and deep vendor partnerships enabling consistent delivery during global disruptions like the pandemic and chip shortages.

Who's It For:

This book is ideal for business leaders, technology executives, and entrepreneurs seeking insights on scaling a technology company through disruptive market cycles. It will also benefit students of corporate strategy and IT history, as well as investors interested in the operational and cultural drivers behind a sustained S&P 500 performer in the technology solutions sector.