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EXHIBIT 99
               SAFE HARBOR UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION
                               REFORM ACT OF 1995

         The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act")
provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements to encourage companies
to provide prospective information about their companies, so long as those
statements are identified as forward-looking and are accompanied by meaningful
cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those discussed in the statement. The Company
desires to take advantage of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Act. Certain
information, particularly information regarding future economic performance and
finances and plans and objectives of management, contained, or incorporated by
references, in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 1998 is forward-looking. In some cases, information regarding
certain important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially
from any such forward-looking statement appear together with such statement.
Also, the following factors, in addition to other possible factors not listed,
could affect the Company's actual results and cause such results to differ
materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements.

         Highly Competitive Industry. The computer and office automation supply
and audio-visual presentation products industry is highly competitive. The
Company competes with major full-service office products distributors, other
national and regional computer supply distributors, office products superstores,
direct mail order companies, and, to a lesser extent, non-specialized retailers.
Certain of the Company's competitors, such as office products superstores and
major full-service office products distributors have substantially greater
financial and other resources and purchasing power than the Company. The Company
believes that the computer supply and audio-visual presentation products
industry will become more consolidated in the future and consequently more
competitive. Increasing competition will result in greater price discounting
which will continue to have a negative impact on the industry's gross margins.
There can be no assurance that the Company will not encounter increased
competition in the future, which could have a material adverse effect on the
Company's business.

         Dependence on Certain Key Suppliers. Although the Company regularly
carries products and accessories manufactured by approximately 500 original
equipment manufacturers, 52.4% of the Company's net sales in fiscal year 1998
were derived from products supplied by the Company's ten largest suppliers. In
addition, the Company's business is dependent upon terms provided by its key
suppliers, including pricing and related provisions, product availability and
dealer authorizations. While the Company considers its relationships with its
key suppliers, including Hewlett-Packard, Sharp and Lexmark to be good, there
can be no assurance that these relationships will not be terminated or that such
relationships will continue as presently in effect. In addition, changes by one
or more of such key suppliers of their policies regarding distributors or volume
discount schedules or other marketing programs applicable to the Company may
have a material adverse effect on the Company's business. Certain distribution
agreements require the Company to make minimum annual purchases. Under its
distribution agreements with Hewlett-Packard, Lexmark and Imation, the Company
is required to make minimum annual purchases of $5.0 million, $250,000 and
$50,000, respectively.

         Restrictions Imposed by Debt Arrangements. The Company's outstanding
indebtedness consists primarily of borrowings under the $125.0 million secured
Credit Facility provided by PNC Bank, N.A. and four other banks (the "Banks").
The Credit Facility contains restrictive covenants which may have an adverse
effect on the Company's operations in the future. These covenants include among
other restrictions: (i) the maintenance of certain financial ratios; (ii)
restrictions on ( a ) the purchase or sale of assets, ( b ) any merger, sale or
consolidation activity, ( c ) loans, investments and guaranties made by the
Company, ( d ) lease and sale and leaseback transactions, and ( e ) capital
expenditures; and (iii) certain limitations on the incurrence of other
indebtedness. These provisions may constrain the Company's acquisition strategy,
or may delay, deter, or prevent a takeover attempt that a shareholder might
consider in its best interests and may have an adverse effect on the market
price of the Company's Common Stock. In addition, the Credit Facility prohibits
the payment of dividends and certain repurchases of the Common Stock.


Ability to Manage Growth. The Company expects to experience rapid growth that
will likely result in new and increased responsibilities for management
personnel and which will challenge the Company's management, operating and
financial systems and resources. To compete effectively and manage future
growth, if any, the Company will be required to continue to implement and
improve its operational, financial and management information systems,
procedures and internal controls on a timely basis and to expand, train,
motivate and manage its work force. There can be no assurance that the Company's
personnel, systems, procedures and controls will be adequate to support the
Company's future operations. Any failure to implement and improve the Company's
operational, financial and management systems or to expand, train motivate or
manage employees could have a material adverse effect on the Company's operating
results and financial condition.

Dependence on Computer Systems. The Company's operations are generally dependent
on its proprietary software applications. Modifications to the Company's
computer systems and applications software will be necessary as the Company
executes its expansion plans and responds to the "year 2000 problem," customer
needs, technological developments, electronic commerce requirements and other
factors. Such modifications may cause disruptions in the operations of the
Company, delay the schedule for implementing the 


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integration of newly acquired companies, or cost more to design, implement or 
operate than currently budgeted. Such disruptions, delays or costs could have 
a material adverse effect on the Company's operations and financial 
performance.

The Company is utilizing internal resources and outside consultants to upgrade
its software for year 2000 ("Year 200") compliance. The Company's computer
hardware and operating system are already Year 2000 compliant. New software to
be acquired in response to the Company's expansion and acquisition program will
be Year 2000 compliant.

The Company does not currently have redundant computer systems or redundant
dedicated communication lines linking its computers to its warehouses, although
all data is stored on two separate hard drives on a continual basis. The Company
has taken precautions to protect itself from events that could interrupt its
operations, including back-up power supplies that allow the Company's computer
system to function in the event of a power outage, off-site storage of back-up
data, fire protection, physical security systems and an early warning detection
and fire extinguishing system. The occurrence of any of these events could have
a material adverse effect on the Company's operations and financial performance.

Failure to Implement Acquisition Strategy. The Company's business strategy
includes the acquisition of other computer and office automation supply and
audio-visual presentation product companies in the U.S. and overseas.
Competition for desirable new acquisitions in attractive major metropolitan
markets is expected to increase. No assurance can be given that the Company will
be able to find attractive acquisition candidates or that such acquisitions can
be effected at reasonable prices or in a timely manner, or that once acquired,
the Company will be able to profitably manage such companies. The failure to
complete acquisitions and continue the Company's expansion could have a material
adverse effect on its financial performance.

Integration of Acquisitions. The Company has acquired eleven computer and office
automation supply companies, and one audio-visual presentation products company,
in the past five years and intends to actively pursue additional acquisitions.
No assurance can be given that the Company will be able to successfully
integrate its future acquisitions with the Company's existing systems and
operations. The integration of acquired businesses may also lead to the
resignation of key employees of the acquired companies and diversion of
management attention from other ongoing business concerns. The costs of
integration could have an adverse effect on short-term operating results. Any or
all of these factors could have a material adverse effect on the Company's
operations in the future.

Financing for Acquisitions; Leverage. If acquisitions are consummated for cash,
it is likely that the Company will borrow the necessary funds and, accordingly,
the Company may become highly leveraged as a result thereof. If it becomes
highly leveraged, the Company may be more vulnerable to extended economic
downturns and its flexibility in responding to changing economic and industry
conditions may be limited. The degree to which the Company is leveraged could
have important consequences to purchasers of the Common Stock, including the
impairment of the Company's ability to obtain additional financing for working
capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions and general corporate purposes. The
Company's ability to make principal and interest payments on its current and
future indebtedness and to repay its current and future indebtedness at maturity
will be dependent on the Company's future operating performance, which is itself
dependent on a number of factors, many of which are beyond the Company's
control, and may be dependent on the availability of borrowings under the Credit
Facility or other financings. A substantial portion of the Company's current
borrowing capacity under the Credit Facility could be consumed by increased
working capital needs, including future acquisitions.

Possible Need for Additional Financing to Implement Acquisition Strategy. No
portion of the Company's working capital has been set aside for the specific
purpose of funding future acquisitions and, therefore, the Company may require
additional funds to implement its acquisition strategy. While the Company's
Credit Facility may be utilized to finance acquisitions, the amount which may be
drawn upon by the Company may be limited. Accordingly, the Company may require
additional debt or equity financing for future acquisitions. There can be no
assurance that the Company will be able to obtain additional debt or equity
financing on terms favorable to the Company, or at all, or if obtained, there
can be no assurance that such debt or equity financing will be sufficient for
the financing needs of the Company.

Risks Relating to International Acquisitions. Expansion into international
markets may involve additional risks relating to such things as currency
exchange rates, new and different legal and regulatory requirements, political
and economic risks relating to the stability of foreign governments and their
trading relationship with the United States, difficulties in staffing and
managing foreign operations, differences in financial reporting, differences in
the manner in which different cultures do business, operating difficulties and
other factors.

Exchange Rate Fluctuations. As a result of the purchase of Axidata Inc., a
Canadian computer supply wholesaler in December 1998, the Company's exposure to
fluctuations in exchange rates will be increased. Accordingly, no assurance can
be given that the Company's results of operations will not be adversely affected
in the future by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. The Company
has, at times, entered into forward foreign currency exchange contracts in order
to hedge the Company's accounts receivable and accounts payable. In the future,
the Company may, from time to time, consider entering into other forward foreign


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currency exchange contracts, although no assurances can be given that the
Company will do so, or will be able to do so, or that such arrangements will
adequately protect the Company from fluctuations in foreign currency exchange
rates.