BUSINESS MEMO: BANK MERGER AGREEMENT

Commerce Bancshares Inc., headquartered in Kansas City, and Columbus Bancshares Inc., parent company of Columbus State Bank in Columbus, Kan., have signed a definitive agreement to merge.

Columbus State Bank has $80 million in assets and two offices, will join Commerce Bancshares, a regional bank holding company with more than $10.4 billion in assets and more than 280 banking sites in Kansas, Illinois and Missouri, including Cape Girardeau.

The merger will be an all-stock transaction. The transaction is expected to be completed during the fourth quarter.