BANKER LIKES LOCAL CLIMATE

David Kemper likes the banking market in Cape Girardeau.

"When we came here nine years ago, we had about a million dollars in loans here," said Kemper, president and chief executive officer of Commerce Bancshares, a St. Louis-based bank holding company. Today, we have more than $120 million in loans in the Cape Girardeau area."

Commerce Bank of Poplar Bluff, Mo., acquired the former First Exchange Bank of Cape Girardeau in 1992.

Kemper discussed banking and the economy Thursday during a luncheon at the Drury Lodge, with a group of area business representatives. The luncheon was sponsored by Kemper and Roger Tolliver, Commerce Community Bank president at Cape Girardeau.

Areas like Cape Girardeau, with its stable economy and diversified industries, provide good growth potential in banking operations, said Kemper.

Commerce Bancshares, with assets of more than $11.5 billion, is a registered bank holding company operating at 330 sites in Missouri, Illinois and Kansas. The company also has operating subsidies involved in mortgage banking, venture capital and real estate activities.

Commerce Bancshares estimates a 6 to 7 percent loan growth this year, Kemper said.

Kemper expects the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates enough to keep the struggling economy from slipping into a recession this year.