Distinguished Executive Award Presented To Mark W. Nelson, Columbia Bank Executive Vice President And Chief Operating Officer

TACOMA, Wash., March 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Mark W. Nelson, Columbia Bank's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, was recognized by Western Washington University's College of Business and Economics as a 2010 'Distinguished Executive'.  

(Photo:   http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110324/SF71155)

Mr. Nelson was selected as one of two recipients based on his success as a leader in his profession, the significant impact he has made on the quality of the College of Business and Economics and for exemplifying the values of honor and integrity in effective organizational leadership.

"We are very pleased to see Mark recognized as a Distinguished Executive," said Melanie Dressel, President and Chief Executive Officer of Columbia Bank.  "This honor is well-deserved and we are proud of his contributions to Columbia Bank and the Pacific Northwest community."

A graduate of Western Washington University, Mr. Nelson holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration and a Masters of Business Administration.  He serves on the Board of Directors of Bank of Astoria, the Tacoma-Pierce County Economic Development Board and is a past President and current Board Member of the Puget Sound Chapter of the Risk Management Association (RMA).  Mr. Nelson recently completed a term on the National Board of the RMA and has been a Board Member/Division Leader of the annual Tacoma-Pierce County YMCA "Partners for Youth" campaign since 1984.  

About Columbia         

Columbia State Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Columbia Banking System, Inc., (Nasdaq: COLB), 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.

Contact: David DevineSVP, Marketing Director253-305-0755

SOURCE Columbia Banking System, Inc.

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