CDWC Cdw Corp (MM)

CDW Corporation (NASDAQ:CDWC), a leading provider of technology products and services to business, government and education, today announced it has achieved companywide Gold Certification from Cisco�. CDW Government, Inc. (CDW-G), the company�s subsidiary serving government, education and healthcare customers, and Berbee Information Networks, acquired by CDW last September, had achieved Cisco Gold Certification within their own operations in prior years. The Cisco� Channel Partner Program is designed to reward channel partners for the value they deliver to customers. Gold Certification reflects the highest breadth of skills across key technologies and a partner�s ability to deliver integrated networking solutions. The Cisco Channel Partner program provides CDW with the resource framework to develop an expertise to sell, plan, design, implement and operate Cisco networking solutions. To earn Gold Certification, CDW had to meet or surpass the stringent personnel, training, customer satisfaction, specialization and post-sales support requirements set forth by Cisco. In 2007, for the first time, the Gold Certification extends to all of CDW Corporation�s business units. �We are committed to creating the tools, training and programs that help drive channel partner profitability and broader, deeper Cisco solutions for our joint customers,� said Keith Goodwin, vice president, Worldwide Channels for Cisco. �CDW holds specializations in routing and switching, storage and wireless, as well as Master Specializations in security and unified communications. CDW is an Advanced Technology Partner (ATP) in network hosted storage, rich media and outdoor wireless mesh, so they have secured the training, skills and knowledge to play a pivotal role in accelerating the adoption of Cisco technology solutions.� Cisco Gold Certification provides CDW with the resources to augment its existing Cisco offerings with services and integrated solutions that customers will value, and it allows CDW to expand customer support options. Moreover, CDW will have additional resources available to improve its delivery of advanced Cisco solutions to customers, including: Expanded Technical Training: As a Cisco Gold partner, CDW maintains multiple Cisco technology specializations among its team of 820 on-staff engineers and advanced technology specialists. Cisco Gold enables CDW to further expand its technical expertise in multiple integrated technologies through a structured training program, to more fully address customer needs Access to Training and Product Information: Cisco Gold Certification also provides top-level validation of CDW�s advanced technology skills, up-to-date knowledge about Cisco products and Cisco Lifecycle Services support capabilities. To further enhance those capabilities, Cisco Gold resources also include increased access to the Cisco technical support teams, as well as access to password-protected Web sites with real-time product and training information Expanded Customer Satisfaction Tools: As a Cisco Gold Certified Partner, CDW enjoys several benefits -- most notably, access to the latest Cisco customer satisfaction tool, Partner Access onLine (PAL). The new PAL tool is based on the same technology that Cisco uses to monitor and improve its own customer satisfaction In line with CDW�s commitment to respond with urgency to its customers� pressing technology needs, the company met Cisco�s strict requirements for customer problem resolution � providing technical services and achieving problem resolution within one hour of receiving a customer inquiry and responding within 24 hours to each request for on-site assistance. These rigorous support requirements highlight CDW�s commitment to supporting its customers and their mission-critical IT infrastructures in the public and private sectors alike. Affinity Bank, a statewide bank based in Ventura, California, recently selected a wide-area network (WAN) optimization solution based on Cisco equipment and software provided with pre- and post-sale advice and implementation support from CDW. As well as avoiding bandwidth costs and enhancing disaster recovery capabilities, the WAN optimization enables more robust Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) infrastructure and videoconferencing. �The Cisco solution provided through CDW is already delivering significant performance improvements,� said David Grant, chief information officer at Affinity Bank. �CDW�s team helped us evaluate the range of appropriate solutions and then coordinated delivery and installation, quickly ironing out any issues with the vendors. Their expertise, service and assistance are invaluable to us. We are pleased that CDW achieved Gold Certification with Cisco, for the excellence it reflects and the benefits if offers us as a Cisco and CDW customer.� �This companywide Cisco Gold Certification underscores the depth of CDW�s technical expertise and the value of our professional services to customers in both the public and corporate sectors,� said Kenneth Grimsley, CDW vice president of strategic sales. �Achieving Cisco Gold Certified partner status demonstrates that CDW meets or exceeds Cisco�s stringent standards for performance as well as our customers� needs. We provide a host of value-added resources to fortify our solutions capability � particularly through the assistance our technology specialists provide to customers in assessment, design, configuration and implementation.� About CDW CDW�, ranked No. 342 on the FORTUNE 500, is a leading provider of technology solutions for business, government and education. CDW is a principal source of technology products and services including top name brands such as Acer, Adobe, APC, Apple, Cisco, EMC, Fujitsu, HP, IBM, Lenovo, Microsoft, Panasonic, Quantum, Samsung, Sony, Symantec, ViewSonic and Xerox. CDW's direct model offers customers one-on-one relationships with knowledgeable account managers and access to approximately 820 on-staff engineers and advanced technology specialists who customize solutions for customers� complex technology needs. CDW also provides same-day product shipping and post-sales technical support. CDW was founded in 1984 and as of June 30, 2007, employed approximately 5,880 coworkers. In 2006, the company generated sales of $6.8 billion. For more information, visit CDW.com. Where You Can Find Additional Information In connection with the proposed merger between CDW and a subsidiary of VH Holdings, Inc., CDW filed with the SEC, and has furnished to its shareholders, a definitive proxy statement soliciting proxies for the meeting of its shareholders to be held with respect to the Merger on August 9, 2007. CDW SHAREHOLDERS ARE ADVISED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT CAREFULLY BECAUSE IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION. CDW shareholders and other interested parties can obtain, without charge, a copy of the proxy statement and other relevant documents filed with the SEC from the SEC�s website at http://www.sec.gov. CDW shareholders and other interested parties can also obtain, without charge, a copy of the proxy statement and other relevant documents by directing a request by mail or telephone to CDW Corporation, 200 N. Milwaukee Ave., Vernon Hills, Illinois 60061, Attention: Corporate Secretary, telephone: (847) 465-6000, or from CDW�s website, http://www.cdw.com. CDW and certain of its directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may, under SEC rules, be deemed to be �participants� in the solicitation of proxies from shareholders of CDW with respect to the proposed transaction. Information regarding the persons who may be considered �participants� in the solicitation of proxies is set forth in the definitive proxy statement described above. Statements about the expected timing, completion and effects of the proposed merger between CDW and a subsidiary of VH Holdings, Inc. and all other statements in this filing other than historical facts, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, each of which is qualified in its entirety by reference to the following cautionary statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and are based on current expectations and involve a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. CDW may not be able to complete the proposed merger because of a number of factors, including, among other things, the failure to obtain shareholder approval, the failure of financing or the failure to satisfy other closing conditions. Other risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements are described in the reports filed by CDW with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including without limitation CDW�s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, and the definitive proxy statement dated July 13, 2007, relating to the special meeting of shareholders to be held to vote on the merger agreement. 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 847-419-6328. CDW is a registered trademark and CDW@work is a trademark of CDW Corporation. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.