Commerce Bancorp Receives Approval To Complete Acquisition of A.H. Williams

Commerce Bancorp Inc. has announced it has received approval, effective immediately, to complete the acquisition of A.H. Williams & Co. Inc., a public finance and financial advisory firm headquartered in Philadelphia.

A.H. Williams specializes in government, non-profit, education and health care financing throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and provides structured public financing services for clients across the United States.

Commerce Bancorp will combine A.H. Williams with Commerce Capital, its existing public finance underwriting division, to create Commerce Capital Markets Inc.

The new subsidiary will provide investment banking, financial advisory and securities distribution services for both regional and national clients. Commerce Capital Markets will be headquartered in Philadelphia and have additional offices in Cherry Hill, NJ; Ramsey, NJ; Pittsburgh, PA; Boston, MA; and San Francisco, CA.

Commerce Capital Markets Inc. will be led by a combined management team including Vincent J. Stafford, Chief Executive Officer; Denis J. Carlson, Director of National Public Finance; David B. Thompson, Director of Regional Public Finance; Allison F. Fleitas, Short Term Trading and Underwriting Manager; Edward D. Trexler III, Managing Director/Institutional Sales and; William L. Widerman, Managing Director/Syndication.