Profile: Roger L. Tolliver

Roger L. Tolliver

Commerce Bank

TITLE: Community bank president for Commerce Bank

AGE: 59

NATIVE OF: Sikeston, Mo.

NUMBER OF BRANCHES IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI: 5

NUMBER OF ATMs: 6

HOW HE GOT HIS START IN BANKING: The President of First National Bank in Sikeston called and offered me a job as a management trainee in the bank. I worked in all areas of the bank including bookkeeping, proof, teller, financial services representative, collections, and lending. It was a great way to learn how a bank operates.

WHAT'S SOMETHING YOU WISH YOU'D KNOWN WHEN YOU STARTED: Change is inevitable, but the changes in the banking industry have been dramatic, especially over the last 10 years. It was projected that our economy would be a cashless one by the year 2000. That timetable was missed by a few years, but we are quickly closing in on that way of transacting business. I have been surprised by the technology and the acceptance by many consumers and businesses of the cashless method of transacting business. The people born between 1965 and 1980, the Gen X'ers, and those born between 1981 and 2000, the Millennials, are very accepting of the cashless society.

WHAT'S THE FASTEST GROWING ASPECT OF YOUR BANK? The payments systems. We are seeing increased use of credit/debit cards, purchasing cards and accounts payables paid through the use of Visa accounts, Online banking for consumers and businesses, remote deposit for businesses, treasury services, and trust business.