John Edwardson, Chairman and CEO, CDW
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Like his source of leadership inspiration—Theodore Roosevelt—history buff John Edwardson isn't afraid of a good fight, provided he believes in the cause.
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Over these past 12 months, the 57-year-old CDW chairman and CEO has led the formidable national direct-market reseller deep into unsettled territory to stake its claim as a full-fledged IT solution provider capable of deploying advanced emerging technologies.
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While CDW's regional reorganization got things started, there is no greater evidence of Edwardson's latest ambition than CDW's $175 million move to acquire Berbee Information Networks, a highly respected VAR that counts Cisco Systems, IBM and Microsoft among its key allies. The deal comes with CDW feeling more pressure in corporate sales from the value-added channel. While the Vernon Hills, Ill., company's third-quarter sales grew 4 percent to $1.75 billion, sales to corporate buyers slipped 2.5 percent.
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Not unlike Roosevelt, Edwardson recharges by getting back to nature, spending his last vacation hiking the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He's also a strong believer that work-life balance starts at the top. The latest books on his nightstand: "How Full Is Your Bucket: Positive Strategies For Work and Life" and "Gift From The Sea."
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Clearly, the integration of Berbee will consume much of Edwardson's attention in 2007, but he's also looking to new frontiers such as his top international priority, Canada. "The economy is global, and we hope to play our part in it," Edwardson says.