Commerce Bank Celebrates 20 Years Serving Cincinnati Businesses

CINCINNATI, Ohio - Commerce Bank is celebrating 20 years of building personal and business relationships in the Greater Cincinnati community. The Commerce team entered a competitive banking environment in 2005 with a simple approach: build personal relationships and earn trust to build business. That approach, complemented by Commerce's valued culture and long-term perspective, has led to consistent and significant growth in the last two decades.

Commerce celebrated its two decades in the Tri-State area and 160 years in operation with a reception on October 23, 2025. Bank leadership attended the celebration, including John Kemper, president and chief executive officer, Commerce Bancshares, Inc.; Bob Holmes, chairman and chief executive officer, Commerce Bank - St. Louis; Tom Harmon, president and head of commercial tradable products; Steve Bloemer, executive vice president, regional market president, Commerce Bank - Cincinnati; and Matt Crossin, president, Commerce Bank - Southwest Ohio & Northern Kentucky.

"Introducing Commerce Bank to Greater Cincinnati area 20 years ago started with personal relationships, taking the time to learn our clients' businesses, and building trust in ways that are unmatched," said Steve Bloemer, executive vice president, regional market president, Commerce Bank - Cincinnati. "Sharing Commerce's experience and guidance has made Commerce, and our team members, trusted advisors in many of the businesses that are the backbone of our community."

One such company is Meyer Tool Inc., a national high-tech manufacturing company headquartered in Cincinnati, making precision parts for the aerospace and gas turbine engine industries. Meyer was founded in 1951 and moved all its banking business to Commerce 15 years ago. Meyer Tool President Doug Lang credits Commerce with enabling his company to thrive by taking the time to understand its challenges and create banking solutions that have helped Meyer more than double its business.

"Meyer Tool's confidence in the Commerce team is what allowed us to take calculated risks and leaps when we wanted to invest, knowing the bank would be there for us," said Lang. "Just like Meyer, Commerce has been innovative, efficient, and thoughtful, helping us remain the best at what we do."

Commerce's own century-long history of generational leadership under the Kemper family makes it a natural fit for businesses like Neyra Industries, Inc. Ed Neyra founded the pavement maintenance company in 1975 and recently handed the reigns to his son, Commerce-Cincinnati Anniversary/2

president, chief executive officer, and owner, Nathan Neyra. The business began banking with Commerce within the last year, and this relatively new relationship has already brought transparency, sound advice, and trust between the two family-run organizations.

"Commerce is everything we look for in a bank," said Nathan Neyra. "We need to be with a bank like Commerce that has someone at the helm that's more focused on long term gains and relationships than daily stock price. We have aggressive growth goals, and we have a bank in Commerce as invested in our outcome as we are."

The celebration also recognized Cincinnati State Technical and Community College with a $25,000 Community Impact Economic Mobility Award from the Commerce Bancshares Foundation. Cincinnati State was nominated by a Commerce team member as part of an annual nomination process and the school plans for the award money to bolster its CState Accelerate program, which helps students cover the cost of tuition, books, and other expenses through graduation. CState Accelerate aims to help students complete their education on time and with as little student debt as possible and is funded through awards and generous donations. Commerce is proud to support and invest in the Cincinnati community and leaders of tomorrow.

"We're proud of the success Commerce has achieved in Ohio and Kentucky over the past 20 years - success built on the trust and relationships we've formed with so many outstanding businesses and community partners," said John Kemper, president and chief executive officer, Commerce Bancshares, Inc. "Our growth here reflects what has always guided Commerce - taking the long-term view, doing what's right for our customers, and building enduring partnerships that help them thrive. We're grateful for the confidence this community has placed in us and look forward to serving it for decades to come."

Cincinnati-based publications have taken notice of Commerce's success, recently recognized Steve Bloemer, executive vice president, regional market president, Commerce Bank - Cincinnati as a finalist for the Cincinnati Business Courier's 2025 C-Suite Awards. In 2022, Bloemer was a member of the inaugural "Ohio 500," a list of the most influential executives across the state, compiled by Ohio Business Magazine.

You can find more information about Commerce Bank at commercebank.com.