Commerce Bank Ranked 9th Among All Banks in SBA Lending Nationwide

November 27, 2006; 07:28 AM
Commerce Bancorp (NYSE: CBH) announced today that for the fifth consecutive fiscal year (ending 9/30/06), Commerce Bank produced more than $200 million in Small Business Administration (SBA) loans and boosted its national ranking to ninth in dollar volume for SBA loans provided by the 650 banks participating in the SBA program. The ranking is based upon figures supplied by the SBA District Offices located throughout the country.

Commerce Bank ranked number one in SBA loan dollar volume in New Jersey and received the SBA's Platinum award for producing 272 loans totaling $108,414,100. Commerce also ranked first in dollar volume of loans made in New Jersey to:

-- Asian-owned businesses ($36,063,500)
-- Women-owned businesses ($24,130,000)
-- African American-owned businesses ($6,600,000)

"We are fortunate to have Commerce Bank as one of our lending partners," said New Jersey SBA District Director James A. Kocsi. "They have a long history of supporting the small business community with innovative financing packages, and their $108 million in SBA New Jersey loan approvals represents 20 percent of our statewide total."

In addition, Commerce was a top SBA lender in its other key regions including:

-- Pennsylvania - 84 loans totaling $31,772,100

-- New York - 90 loans totaling $30,912,700

According to Commerce Senior Vice President Arnold Horvath, the dollar volume of SBA loans generated by Commerce Bank in the Mid-Atlantic Region continues to be among the highest of the banks based in the same footprint.

"Along with being an SBA leader in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York, Commerce has already become an active producer of SBA loans in Florida, our newest market," said Commerce Bank Founder and Chairman Vernon W. Hill. "The rapid growth of our SBA lending efforts is another clear indication of the bank's commitment to serving the small business community throughout our network."

ABOUT THE SBA

The Small Business Administration provides financial, technical and management assistance to help Americans start, run and grow their businesses. SBA is the nation's largest single financial backer of small businesses. SBA loans, with their partial guarantees by the U.S. government, are essential to small business owners who often have less capital than they need to qualify for most loans.

ABOUT COMMERCE BANK

Commerce Bank, "America's Most Convenient Bank," is a leading retailer of financial services with 400+ convenient stores in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Maryland and Florida. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., Commerce Bancorp (NYSE: CBH) has $43.3 billion in assets and in third quarter 2006 achieved a 19% increase in core deposits, a 30% increase in net loans and total asset growth of 19%. For more information about Commerce, please visit the company's interactive financial resource center at www.commerceonline.com, or call 888-751-9000.