DEBBI RIESS-ROAM AND KIM ROAM TO RECEIVE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD SPONSORED BY COMMERCE BANK

(KANSAS CITY, MO November 29, 2001) - Debbi Riess-Roam and Kim Roam will be awarded the Blue Springs Community Award sponsored by Commerce Bank at a luncheon held at noon, Friday, December 7at the Adams Pointe Conference Center. Adams Point Conference Center is located off of I-70 and Adams Dairy Parkway.

Jonathan M. Kemper, Commerce Bank Chairman, will present the award. "Debbi and Kim exemplify the community spirit we are seeking when making this award. We think they are ideal choices. Their efforts over the years have contributed to making the Blue Springs area a wonderful community in which to live, work and raise a family."

Kim and Debbi met at the University of Missouri - Columbia while members of Alpha Phi Omega, a college service fraternity. Debbi earned a degree in education, and Kim is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate in English. Both Kim and Debbi are involved in the Blue Springs community.

Kim has served on the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce, and was its Chairman in 1994. Kim has also served on the YMCA Steering Committee, St. Mary's Hospital Medical Mall Capital Campaign Committee, Grain Valley Economic Development Committee, and Grain Valley Comprehensive Plan Committee. In 1994, Kim was honored as Blue Springs Citizen of the Year.

Debbi has served on the Grain Valley Parks Board, the Greater Kansas City Metro Stroke Task Force, as President of Blue Springs Rotary in 2000-01, Co-Chair of both St. Mary's Hospital's PRISSM and its Emergency Department Expansion Employee Capital Campaign, and as an instructor for the American Heart Association Stroke Peer Visitation Program.

The grant made in honor of Debbi Riess-Roam and Kim Roam for their great gifts of service to our community will be dedicated to the Emergency Room (ER) Expansion Campaign for St. Mary's Hospital of Blue Springs. Upon completion, the expansion will grow from 6 to 18 private rooms to ensure privacy and it will add 6,000 square feet to the current facility and renovate the existing ER space. The expansion will also add a x-ray room to accommodate ER patients and a new ambulance canopy to accommodate 3 ambulances. The final addition will be a private family serenity room for families to consult with physicians and clergy.

The Community Service Award is dedicated to recognizing individuals who make an exceptional contribution to their communities and the people who live there. A special grant, given in the name of the honoree, is awarded to the nonprofit agency of the honoree's choice. The potential award recipients are identified through a thoughtful consultation process with groups that include community and civic leaders. Commerce Bank officers and advisory board members then select the Community Award recipient.

Commerce Bank is a subsidiary of Commerce Bancshares, Inc., a registered bank holding company with assets of $12.3 billion offering a full line of banking services, including investment management and securities brokerage. The Company currently operates in 341 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.

For more information contact:
Rebecca Freetly-Graber
Regional Marketing Rep
(816) 234-2308

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

SYMBOL: CBSH

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