COMMERCE BANK GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY MARKS CONSTRUCTION OF NEW MAIN BANK

MEXICO, MO - October 15, 2002 - Commerce Bank executives and board members, Mexico Chamber of Commerce officials, city and civic leaders held a ground breaking ceremony this morning to mark the construction of the new Commerce Bank Mexico Main Banking Center to be located at 2946 South Clark. Commerce Bank will own and operate the new bank center, which is scheduled to open in the fall of 2003 and will replace the current main banking center at 501 West Jackson. Commerce has leased the current location since the early 1970s.

The new Commerce location will provide full-service banking to individuals and businesses. Construction of the new facility will allow Commerce to expand services offered to its customers, most notably drive-through banking, which the current main bank does not offer. Upon completion, the bank will include four drive-through lanes and more than 7,000 square feet of floor space for tellers, financial services representatives, and personal, commercial and agri-lending staff. In addition to the new Mexico Main Banking Center, Commerce will continue to offer services through its East Banking Center Location at 1015 E. Liberty, and its drive-up ATM on Highway 54 South.

Ron Hopkins, community president of Commerce Bank in Mexico commented, "This is a significant day for the Mexico community and for Commerce Bank. As we break ground today, we celebrate the past and look forward to the future. At Commerce, our commitment goes beyond building a new facility, to also building value-added relationships with our customers and the community in which we live and work."

Teresa Rouse Maledy, president of Commerce Bank, Central Missouri Region, commented, "The Mexico market is an important one for Commerce Bank as we further our goal to be the preferred provider of financial services in Central Missouri. We are pleased to build on a tradition of excellence in serving this market. We believe this new, state-of-the-art facility will be something of which both the bank and the community can be proud."

Virginia Robertson, president, Mexico Chamber of Commerce commented, "Commerce Bank is not only a leader in providing financial services, but a key leader in supporting economic, educational, civic and charitable initiatives in our community. We celebrate its commitment to the future with the announcement of their new main bank facility. We look forward to the construction process and the completion of what we know will be an attractive addition to our business landscape in Mexico."

According to Hopkins, construction will begin in November with plans to complete the banking center in fall of 2003. Gray Design Group, St. Louis, is the architect for the project.

About Commerce Bank
Commerce Bank is the principal subsidiary of Commerce Bancshares Inc (NASDAQ: CBSH), a $13.2 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 340 locations and also has operating subsidiaries involved in mortgage banking, credit related insurance, venture capital and real estate activities.

For more information contact:
Susan Kirkman
Regional Marketing Manager
417 837-5333

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

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