FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 22nd, 2010
Contact: JoAnne Coy
Corporate Communications and Investor Relations
(253) 305-1965

Columbia State Bank Welcomes Megan Sweeters,

Senior Vice President and Private Banking Team Leader

in Seattle and Bellevue

Seattle, WA – Columbia Bank welcomes Megan Sweeters, Senior Vice President and Private Banking Team Leader in Seattle and Bellevue. Ms. Sweeters will work with the Private Banking professionals to provide banking, credit, investment, financial planning and trust services to affluent individuals and their families. Ms. Sweeters offers her clients over 32 years of experience in the financial services industry and brings expertise in Wealth Management, Business, and Retail Banking. She has worked in many areas of banking with her most recent position at Key Private Bank where she was a Senior Vice President and Relationship Manager. Ms. Sweeters is an honor graduate of Pacific Coast Banking School as well as a graduate of the College of Financial Planning and is a Certified Financial Planner™. Ms. Sweeters is involved in numerous community and volunteer activities including, most recently, past Chair and Treasurer of the Evergreen Healthcare Foundation. She is also a member of the Redmond Rotary Club. Ms. Sweeters has lived in the Puget Sound area for over 30 years. She and her family have lived in Redmond for over eight years.

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 of Puget 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.