Columbia Bank Announces Three New Additions to its Yakima, WA Commercial Lending Team

YAKIMA, Wash., March 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Columbia Bank announces three new members of its commercial banking team in Yakima, Washington.

The new Yakima team members include:

--  Matt Duffy, SVP, Eastern Washington Commercial Banking Regional Manager,
        brings 23 years of industry experience to his new position.
    --  Brian V. Johnson, Commercial Banking Officer, provides over 30 years of
        banking experience in the market.
    --  Jake Hardy, Commercial Banking Officer, will leverage his six years of
        banking in the region.

Spearheaded by Matt Duffy, the group joins Chris Ross, VP, Commercial Banking Officer and Jill Christianson, Commercial Banking Officer at the Bank's Yakima Branch located at 10 N 5th Ave. "The addition of Matt and his team greatly enhances Columbia's presence as a competitor in the Eastern Washington agricultural markets," said Todd Leber, Senior Vice President and Washington Commercial Banking Manager. "Their expertise is a perfect complement to the full set of Columbia Bank business services from professional, commercial and industrial to agricultural."

Mr. Duffy and his team are involved in the Yakima community through their participation in United Way, Boy Scouts, the YMCA, Leadership Yakima and other local organizations. "We are very pleased to see Matt, Brian and Jake join the Yakima team," said Chris Ross. "We've enjoyed working alongside them in the community and we are looking forward to continuing that work as part of the same organization."

When asked about the move, Mr. Duffy said, "The move to Columbia Bank provides our team with the flexibility and capacity to meet the lending needs of the Yakima business and ag community." Columbia's fourth quarter 2010 earnings boast a liquidity ratio of 49% which translates into over 2 billion in available funds to meet the needs of its customers.

The new team members are currently accepting new clients and can be reached directly to discuss banking needs. Interested parties can reach Mr. Duffy at [phone], Mr. Johnson at [phone] and Mr. Hardy at [phone].

About Columbia

Columbia State Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Columbia Banking System, Inc. is a Washington state-chartered full-service commercial bank headquartered in Tacoma, Washington. Columbia Bank was awarded third place in the large employer category by Seattle Business Magazine's 100 Best Companies to Work For 2010 and was designated one ofPuget Sound Business Journal's "Washington's Best Workplaces 2010".

With the January, 2010 FDIC-assisted acquisitions of Columbia River Bank and American Marine Bank, Columbia State Bank has 85 banking offices, including 60 branches in Washington State and 25 branches in Oregon. Columbia State Bank does business under the Bank of Astoria name at the Bank of Astoria's former branches located in Astoria, Warrenton, Seaside, Cannon Beach, Manzanita and Tillamook. More information about Columbia can be found on its website at www.columbiabank.com.

CONTACT: David Devine, SVP Marketing Director of Columbia Bank, [phone], [e-mail]

Columbia Bank

CONTACT: David Devine, SVP Marketing Director of Columbia Bank,
[phone], [e-mail]

Web site: http://www.columbiabank.com/