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(St. Louis, MO, August 25, 2006) --- Dora Gianoulakis was awarded the 2006 Community Service Award sponsored by Commerce Bank at a luncheon held on Friday, August 25 at Norwood Hills Country Club. Grants totaling $6,500 funded by the William T. Kemper and Commerce Bancshares foundations were given in Dora’s name to the Spanish Lake Community Association.
Jack Schreiber, President and COO of Commerce Bank St. Louis, presented the service award and grants, saying, “Dora exemplifies the community spirit we are seeking when making this award. Her dedication to the community makes her an ideal choice.”
Dora, born in Newark, New Jersey, moved to the St. Louis area in 1966. Following her move, she devoted more than two decades to education, both in the classroom and as an administrator. She added to her University of Pennsylvania Bachelor’s degree by completing her Master’s in Education at Washington University. Her career path included teaching in the University City School District, serving as assistant director of The Learning Center, becoming the first paid employee of The Educational Confederation, teaching at New City School and co-founding Childgrove School.
Subsequent to Dora’s retirement from Childgrove, she and her husband, John, embarked on a major renovation of a home on the bluffs of the Mississippi River. She regularly attended neighborhood meetings and was elected Secretary/Treasurer of the growing Missouri Bluffs Association. The organization pursued a Community Area Study of Spanish Lake, which led to the creation of the Spanish Lake Community Association in 1999. Dora has served as president of the group since its inception.
Dora’s community involvement extends beyond Spanish Lake. She serves on the Advisory Board for Trinity Catholic High School, the Board of Directors and several committees of North County Incorporated, and the Watkins Creek Watershed Task Force of RegionWise. Her time and talents have also been as asset to the Advisory Committee of the I-270-Highway 367 Corridor Study, the St. Louis Community College Florissant Valley Presidential Search Committee and the Board of The Wilson School.
Like other unincorporated communities, Spanish Lake has struggled for many years to instill in its residents a sense of pride and identity, and a vision for the future. The Spanish Lake Community Association unites resident groups, churches, schools, businesses and other organizations to build a stronger community. The Association’s board is an active force, encouraging cooperation between constituent groups and working to chart priorities and projects.
The Commerce Bank Community Service Award is dedicated to recognizing individuals who make an exceptional contribution to their community 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 Service Award recipient.
About Commerce Bank
Commerce Bank is the principal subsidiary of Commerce Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBSH), a $14.3 billion regional bank holding company. For more than 140 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 currently operates in approximately 340 locations in Missouri, Illinois and Kansas. Commerce also has operating subsidiaries involved in mortgage banking, credit related insurance, venture capital and real estate activities.
For more information contact:
Jeanne Howard
Director of Regional Marketing
314-746-3672
Jeanne.Howard@commercebank.com
Website: www.commercebank.com
e-mail: mymoney@commercebank.com
SYMBOL: CBSH
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