COMMERCE BANK ANNOUNCES OFFICER PROMOTIONS AND ELECTIONS

(Kansas City, MO April 3, 2002) - The Board of Directors of Commerce Bank, Kansas City, announced the following officer promotions and elections.

Jeff Akright has been promoted to Vice President of The Commerce Trust Company, a division of Commerce Bank. Akright is responsible for developing new investment management business for the Commerce Trust Company Private Client Group. He is member of the Liberty School Board, as well as a board member of the Liberty School District Foundation. Additionally, Akright is a member of the Liberty Rotary Club and board member of the Liberty Chamber of Commerce where he served as Treasurer in 2001. He graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and is a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Alumni Association.

Bryan Smith has been promoted to Vice President of The Commerce Trust Company, a division of Commerce Bank. Smith's primary areas of responsibility include new business development and endowment fund management. Smith is on the Catholic Charities St. Martin of Tours Gala Executive Board and is on the board of directors for the Business Leadership Conference sponsored by the American Society of Pension Actuaries, Inc. Smith attended the University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo., and Rockhurst College, earning a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Accounting.

Debbie Housh has been promoted to Assistant Vice President in Commerce Bank's Electronic Banking Services department. Housh is responsible for support of balance reporting and Automated Clearing House (ACH) origination systems that are used by over 2,000 corporate customers. She works with the Commerce Bank information technology staff to test new customer applications. Housh is a member of the United Way Planning Committee for Commerce Bank and co-chair of the committee for the operations division. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Missouri, Kansas City, Mo. Housh has been an Accredited ACH Professional since 1996 and has been with Commerce Bank for approximately 13 years.

Linda L. Knouse has been elected Officer, Consumer Credit Card, in the Retail Lending and Payment Systems (RLPS) Division of the Bank. In this capacity, Knouse manages consumer credit card portfolio management and strategic marketing efforts for customers, as well as the creative services staff who execute creative marketing activities for debit, commercial and merchant credit cards. She is a member of the Kansas City Direct Marketing Association (KCDMA) organization and is active in her local church teaching children. Knouse earned her Masters of Business Administration in Direct Marketing and her Bachelor of Business Administration from University of Missouri, Kansas City.

Mindi Walker has been elected Officer, Research and Database Marketing, in the RLPS Division of the Bank. Walker oversees the modeling, analysis and reporting of the credit and debit portfolio and marketing campaign performance. She is a Walk Team Captain for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, a Team Captain for The American Heart Association's American Heart Walk and a United Way Pillar Society member. Walker earned her Master of Science in Mathematics from Southern Illinois University.

About Commerce Bank
Commerce Bank is an affiliate of Commerce Bancshares, Inc. Commerce Bancshares is a registered bank holding company with assets of $12.9 billion offering a full line of banking services, including investment management and securities brokerage. The Company currently operates in more than 340 locations in Missouri, Illinois and Kansas. The Company also has operating subsidiaries involved in mortgage banking, credit related insurance, venture capital and real estate activities.

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For further information contact:
Eliza Hamlet
Public Relations Representative
(816) 234-1930

Website: www.commercebank.com
e-mail: mymoney@commercebank.com
SYMBOL: CBSH