DEE JOYNER TO ASSUME COMMUNITY RELATIONS RESPONSIBILITY FOR COMMERCE BANK

ST. LOUIS - August 12, 2002 - Commerce Bank today announced that Dee Joyner, senior vice president for organizational development, will add community relations and charitable giving to her duties. Joyner will oversee the Commerce Bank markets of St. Louis, eastern Missouri and Illinois.

Joyner has a long-standing history of community involvement and served in various leadership roles in St. Louis County government before joining Commerce Bank 12 years ago. She currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Boys and Girls Town. Joyner's other community activities include: Alzheimer's Association Advisory Board; Missouri Women's Forum member; University of Missouri - St. Louis Chancellor's Council member; Deaconess Foundation Board of Trustees. She also serves on the Boards of the Automobile Club of Missouri and Delta Dental of Missouri.

Joyner received undergraduate and graduate degrees in government and urban planning from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, Ill. She has her Masters in Business Administration from St. Louis University.

About Commerce Bank
Commerce Bank is the principal subsidiary of Commerce Bancshares Inc. (NASDAQ: CBSH), a $12.3 billion regional bank holding company. For more than 135 years, Commerce has been meeting the financial services needs of individuals and businesses. Commerce provides a diversified line of financial services, including business and personal banking, wealth management and estate planning and investments through its affiliated companies. Commerce Bancshares operates across three states with more than 330 locations and also has operating subsidiaries involved in mortgage banking, credit related insurance, venture capital and real estate activities.

For more information contact:
Jenny Hoelzer
Community Relations Officer
314-746-3886

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

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