THE COMMERCE TRUST COMPANY EXPANDS TEAM IN FAMILY OFFICE & INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

Printer-friendly versionPDF version

(Kansas City, MO – March 5, 2009) – The Commerce Trust Company is pleased to announce the addition of two veteran Kansas City financial services professionals to its wealth management team to help drive the continued expansion of its growing investment management and family office business. The announcement was made by Jack Ovel, Commerce Trust Company West Region President and Scott Boswell, Managing Director of the West Region.

Timothy G. Michel, CFA; and Ann L. Darke, CFP; both experienced wealth management professionals with deep roots in the Kansas City area, just joined The Commerce Trust Company.

"Adding professionals of this caliber from the Kansas City community will further enhance an already deep, experienced team here at Commerce" said Ovel. "This kind of talent strengthens our growing family office business where we manage complex financial matters for large affluent households. Delivering investment management, private banking, trust, tax, insurance, retirement and other financial advisory services in an integrated strategy is the key to competing in this arena. Commerce Trust has a very compelling offering to families seeking these kinds of sophisticated financial services."

Timothy G. Michel will assume the role of Private Client Team Leader and serve as a Senior Portfolio Manager of The Commerce Trust Company in Kansas City. With more than two decades of financial services experience, Michel most recently served as Senior Vice President and Market Investment Executive for the U.S. Trust division of Bank of America’s Private Wealth Management group.

Michel earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Kansas State University in 1986 and his Masters in Business Administration degree from Wichita State University in 1991. He is a former president of the Kansas City Chartered Financial Analyst Society. His volunteer activities include the United Way and Habitat for Humanity. Michel was also named to the board of REACH Healthcare Foundation in 2008.

Ann Darke, who has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, will serve as Private Client Advisor at Commerce Trust. She was previously a Senior Vice President and Private Client Advisor at the U.S. Trust division of Bank of America’s Private Wealth Management group. She was named one ofThe Nation’s 100 Most Exclusive Wealth Advisorsby Robb Report Worth magazine in 2004 and again in 2006.

Darke earned her undergraduate degree from Connecticut College and her law degree from Boston University School of Law. She is president of the Estate Planning Society of Kansas City and serves on the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art planned giving committee and the Truman Hospital Foundation planned giving committee. She is active in the community and is a current board member of Village Shalom and the Jewish Community Foundation. Darke is the immediate past president of the New Reform Temple.

"The knowledge of wealth management that these two individuals bring to the table, as well as the reputation they have developed in Kansas City over the years, makes them exceptional additions to the Commerce Trust team," said Scott Boswell, Managing Director of the Commerce Trust Western Region. "These appointments illustrate Commerce’s continued investment and long-term commitment to the trust and investment business, which has been a very important part of our organization since 1906."

About Commerce Bank and The Commerce Trust Company

Commerce Bank, N.A. is a subsidiary of Commerce Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBSH), a $17.5 billion regional bank holding company. For more than 140 years, Commerce Bank has been meeting the financial services needs of individuals and businesses throughout the Midwest region. Commerce Bank provides a diversified line of financial services, including business and personal banking, wealth management and estate planning, and investments through its affiliated companies. Commerce Bank operates in approximately 360 locations in the Central United States. Commerce Bancshares also has operating subsidiaries involved in mortgage banking, leasing, credit-related insurance, venture capital and real estate activities.

The Commerce Trust Company is a division of Commerce Bank, N.A. Commerce Trust administers approximately $19.4 billion in total assets, with investment responsibility for approximately $15.1 billion. Since 1906, Commerce Trust has been a leading source of tailored asset management, creative private banking, and comprehensive trust services for individuals, families, corporate executives, and business owners. In addition, Commerce Trust serves a variety of institutional clients with customized investment programs as well as sole-source solutions for all of their financial needs.

For additional information contact:

Email:mymoney@commercebank.com†

News Source : THE COMMERCE TRUST COMPANY EXPANDS TEAM IN FAMILY OFFICE & INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT