Blair O’Brien – Senior Vice President Commercial Banking – provides creative and complex financing solutions that help clients meet their financing objectives. Acting much like a quarterback for the client relationship, Blair is the main point of contact and works with other bank product & service experts to provide a one-stop shop, full service experience. As to finding solutions that work for a client’s specific needs, he is equal parts listener, sounding board, advocate (their voice), and partner.
While lending is the focus, it is important for the community to know that there is more to it than just being a source of capital; we are multifaceted, inventive, local, accessible, responsive and trusted relationship-oriented financial partners.
Including predecessors, Blair has been with Columbia Bank for 16 years and in commercial banking for 25 years. His areas of focus are: non-depository financial institutions, M&A, hospitality / restaurant, food – beverage & consumer products, and service companies. He holds a BA from the University of Washington and MBA from Seattle Pacific University. His strong Northwest roots serve him well as he works with clients throughout the region, as well as volunteering his time to numerous local organizations.
Blair feels very fortunate that he gets to interact with and get to know some truly amazing people. Not only does he get to listen to and then tell their stories, but he takes great pride in the opportunity to assist with accomplishing their goals and getting to play a small part in their fluid story.
