Commerce Bank Illinois Region Announces Leadership Promotions
Central Illinois – Robert Holmes, executive vice president of Commerce Bancshares, Inc. announced recently several leadership transitions in the Illinois market. Effective June 8, Jonathan Williams became president of Peoria as Brent Eichelberger has been named CEO Commerce Bank Illinois. Brent and Jon will continue to office in the Peoria offices with new headquarters scheduled to be completed in downtown Peoria late 2018. William J. Phillips IV (J Phillips) became president of Bloomington-Normal and Steve Sebade was promoted to executive vice president of Bloomington-Normal. Phillips, Sebade and Williams all report to Brent Eichelberger.
Jonathan (Jon) Williams began his tenure with Commerce Bank in 2006 and has held the leadership responsibilities for the bank’s commercial banking groups in the Peoria and Bloomington-Normal area. He is a graduate of Millikin University where he earned a Masters of Business Administration and Illinois State University where he earned a Bachelor’s of Science in finance. Jon has had experiences in both the Washington University’s Olin School of Business Management & Leadership Program and the University of Missouri - Kansas City’s Bloch Executive Development Program. He is active in the community and serves as a board member for Downtown Development Corporation and W.D. Boyce Council Boy Scouts and as an advisory committee member for OSF HealthCare - Neurosciences Institute. Historically, Jon has been in leadership roles for the Heart of Illinois United Way, Hult Center for Healthy Living and Young Professionals Organization of Greater Peoria.
Williams continues his focus on commercial banking and payments solutions, as well as assumes additional leadership responsibility helping to grow and retain clients across the bank in Peoria.
J. Phillips, a native of the Bloomington-Normal area and whose family has strong ties to the community, will lead the Bloomington-Normal market in growing and retaining clients for Commerce Bank. His 13-year career spans all areas of the bank including retail banking, wealth management, private banking and commercial banking. Phillips has a history of recognition for exceptional work and has been awarded several Commerce Bank and community awards including 40 Leaders Under 40 by InterBusiness Issues (iBi). Phillips continues to lead the retail business on an interim basis but focus his efforts on commercial banking and payments solutions, as well as assumes additional leadership responsibility helping to grow and retain clients across the bank in the Bloomington-Normal market.
Recently, J served as the President of the Alzheimer’s Association, Central Illinois Chapter as well as a member of the Public Policy and Walk to End Alzheimer’s Committees. Additionally, he serves on the board of directors for Junior Achievement of Central Illinois and is a volunteer for Safe Harbor of Bloomington-Normal. J graduated from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with a Bachelor’s of Science in aviation management, with a specialty in airport management and planning. J also is a certified commercial pilot and part-time flight instructor.
Steve Sebade continues to lead the bank’s agribusiness and food processing group in Illinois and represent Commerce in the community through civic and philanthropic organizations. With more than 30 years of banking experience at Commerce, Sebade is a prominent banking professional in the Bloomington-Normal community. Currently Steve is active in the Grain and Feed Association of Illinois, National Grain and Feed Association and McLean County Chamber of Commerce. Previously he has served on the Midwest Food Processors Association, Illinois Bankers Association, Robert Morris Associates and United Way of McLean County.
Brent Eichelberger, CEO, Illinois said, “Jon, J. and Steve are outstanding leaders at Commerce Bank and in the community. They are established premier bankers with strong customer relationships and deep banking knowledge. Together, their leadership will continue to ensure we are delivering the highest level of quality banking services to our customers and the communities throughout Illinois.”
About Commerce Bancshares, Inc.
Commerce Bank, is a subsidiary of Commerce Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBSH), a $24.6 billion regional bank holding company, as of March 31, 2018. For more than 150 years, Commerce has been meeting the financial services needs of individuals and businesses. Commerce provides a full range of financial products to consumer and commercial customers, including personal banking, lending, mortgage banking, wealth management, brokerage and capital markets services. Commerce operates in approximately 330 locations in the central United States and has a nationwide presence in the commercial payments industry.
For additional information, please visit www.commercebank.com.
