THOMAS CARIGNAN ELECTED RETAIL BANKING OFFICER, COMMERCE BANK

Kansas City, MO - October 18, 2002 - Commerce Bank announced the election of Thomas Carignan as Officer, Retail Banking Administration. Carignan is responsible for the coordination of the Bank's Hispanic Banking initiative and relationship development with the Hispanic community.

Carignan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Kansas, Lawrence, and is currently working toward his MBA in Finance from Rockhurst University, Kansas City, Mo. He is a member of the Greater Kansas City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Co-Chair of Embajadores Committee and is the Executive Vice President, National Society of Hispanic MBAs. Carignan has been with Commerce Bank for over a year.

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:
Rebecca Freetly-Graber
Marketing Officer
816.234.2308

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

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