Michael Krasny is an American businessman, the self-made billionaire Founder and former Chairman/CEO of CDW Corporation (NASDAQ: CDW), a major provider of technology products and services for business, government, and education. His career is rooted in education, technology sales, and entrepreneurial ingenuity.

Krasny holds a B.A. from Roosevelt University and an M.A. in Education from Northeastern Illinois University. His entrepreneurial journey began with a gamble: he quit his job as a high school teacher and started CDW (Computer Discount Warehouse) in 1984 in his Chicago-area home, recognizing the immense, untapped domestic demand for discounted computer equipment through direct-to-consumer sales.

• CDW Corporation (Founder & Former Chairman/CEO): The core publicly traded asset, a major provider of technology products and services (IT infrastructure, hardware, software).
• Retail Disruption: His success is built on pioneering the low-cost, direct-to-consumer model for computer hardware and software distribution.
• Academic Background: He was a high school teacher and holds an M.A. in Education.
• Strategic Exit: He sold his stake in CDW to Madison Dearborn Partners for $7.3 billion in 2007 (a major monetization event).

Michael Krasny's strategic genius was his commitment to the direct sales model (using phone sales and catalogs to bypass costly retail markups). He founded CDW in 1984, successfully building it into a dominant force in IT product distribution. The company successfully executed its IPO on the NASDAQ.

The pinnacle of his financial career was the $7.3 billion sale of CDW to the private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners in 2007. This sale secured his multi-billion dollar fortune. His structural contribution is immense: pioneering the high-volume, low-cost IT distribution model that provided essential technology products to thousands of U.S. businesses and schools.

Michael Krasny's social impact is structural, stemming from CDW's role in providing essential IT products and services to businesses and educational institutions globally. His personal philanthropy supports various community and educational initiatives (reflecting his background as a teacher).

His structural contribution is tied to the successful monetization of the direct sales model and the professionalization of IT product distribution.

Michael Krasny maintains the professional, pragmatic style of a corporate executive. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic reflects serious authority and stability, typical of a leader in the global technology and finance sectors.

Residing in Highland Park, Illinois, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to investment strategy, technology management, and philanthropy.