DR. MARTHA GILLILAND ELECTED TO COMMERCE BANK BOARD

(Kansas City, MO July 24, 2001) - The Board of Directors of Commerce Bank, N.A., Kansas City, has announced the election of Dr. Martha W. Gilliland as an advisory director of the bank.

Dr. Gilliland is Chancellor at the University of Missouri - Kansas City (UMKC) where she serves as UMKC's 15th Chancellor. Prior to coming to UMKC, Chancellor Gilliland was Provost at Tulane University in New Orleans and has held faculty and administrative positions at the University of Arizona and the University of Nebraska. She earned her bachelor's degree at Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina, where she studied geology and mathematics. Chancellor Gilliland earned a M.A. degree in geophysics from Rice University and a Ph.D. from the University of Florida, Gainesville, in Environmental Engineering.

Chancellor Gilliland serves on local boards including the Kansas City Area Development Council, Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute, Inc., Kansas City Community Development Initiative and The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City.

"Since becoming UMKC's Chancellor last year, Dr. Gilliland has become a valuable asset to the Kansas City community," said Jonathan Kemper, Chairman of Commerce Bank, Kansas City. "We are delighted she has joined our Commerce Bank board and look forward to being the beneficiary of her keen insights as we strive to be the preferred provider of financial services in the metro area."

Commerce Bank is an affiliate of Commerce Bancshares, Inc. a registered bank holding company with assets of $11.7 billion, offering a full line of banking services, including investment management and securities brokerage. The company currently operates in approximately 330 locations in Kansas, Missouri and Illinois.

For more information contact:
Nancy E. Levin, APR
Director, Regional Marketing
816-234-2632

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

SYMBOL: CBSH

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