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KANSAS CITY, MO - June 17, 2004 - Thomas Rhone was awarded the 2005 Kansas City Community Service Award sponsored by Commerce Bank at a luncheon held yesterday at the The Kauffman Foundation, 4801 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, Mo. A grant of $10,000 funded by the William T. Kemper and Commerce Bancshares Foundation was given in Rhone's name to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. The honorarium grant will be used to support youth education programs at the museum
Jonathan M. Kemper, chairman, Commerce Bank, presented the service award and grant. "Thomas has been continually giving to our community to make Kansas City a better place for all," said Kemper. "His commitment to serving the community makes him an ideal choice for this recognition."
A Wyoming native, Rhone earned his undergraduate and master's degree in secondary school administration from the University of Denver. He came to Kansas City as a teacher, coach, and later assistant principal at Sumner High School in Kansas City, Kan. Rhone went on to become assistant principal and later principal at Wyandotte High School.
After spending 28 years in education in Kansas City, Rhone joined Marion Laboratories, Inc. in 1984 as a senior professional recruiter, where he established an intern program for local high school and college students through the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City. Ewing Kauffman sought Rhone's counsel during the formative days of the Foundation to help draft its founding mission and vision.
Rhone helped craft the earliest outreach programs and youth development initiatives in Kansas City and was appointed program director for Project Choice, a dropout prevention program for urban youth originated by Ewing Kauffman and operated by the Foundation from 1988 to 2001. Project Choice was offered to ninth grade students at Westport High School in Kansas City, Mo., and to Harmon, Schlagel, Sumner Academy, Washington and Wyandotte High Schools in Kan.
Rhone led the Foundation's efforts to bring the first six-week summertime Freedom School to Kansas City in 1995. The Kansas City movement - emphasizing reading, writing, mentoring and leadership - has expanded to 12 urban locations and is recognized by the Children's Defense Fund as the most successful Freedom School initiative in the nation.
Rhone has been active in preserving the Kauffman legacy through the Project Choice Alumni Association, designed to encourage alumni to follow Ewing Kauffmans's example and give back to the community. He has shared the lessons of Project Choice to influence similar programs in Bowling Green, Ky.; Denver, Colo.; Memphis, Tenn.; Salt Lake City, Utah; New York City, N.Y. and Mobile, Ala.
In addition to his work with the Kauffman Foundation, Rhone serves on the board of directors of Douglass National Bank and is president of the bank's holding company. He is also a member of the Junior Golf Foundation's board of directors. Rhone was a longtime member of the board of directors of the American Royal Association, where he was instrumental in the American Royal's scholarship component.
About Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) is the world's only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of African-American baseball and its impact on the social advancement of America. The privately funded, not-for-profit organization was incorporated in 1990 and is located in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri's historic 18th & Vine Jazz District. The NLBM operates two blocks from the Paseo YMCA where Andrew "Rube" Foster established the Negro National League in 1920.
About The William T. Kemper Foundation
The William T. Kemper Foundation, Commerce Bank Trustee, was established in 1989 following Mr. Kemper's death. The foundation is dedicated to continuing Mr. Kemper's lifelong interest in improving the human condition and quality of life. The Foundation supports Midwest communities and concentrates on initiatives in education, health and human services, civic improvement and the arts.
About Commerce Bank
Commerce Bank is the principal subsidiary of Commerce Bancshares Inc. (NASDAQ: CBSH), a $14.1 billion regional bank holding company. For more than 139 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 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:
Jill Swords
Regional Marketing Rep.
816-234-2308
Website: www.commercebank.com
e-mail: mymoney@commercebank.com
SYMBOL: CBSH
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