TACOMA, Wash., May 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Columbia Bank announced that Jan Furey has been appointed to the position of Community Development Officer. A Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer, Ms. Furey will work to expand the bank's program to provide loans and community development services targeted to low and moderate income people in communities that Columbia Bank serves.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040520/SFTH066 )

"The continuing goal of the program is to encourage economic development, affordable housing opportunities and community services that meet the needs of people in minority and low income communities," said Ms. Furey, who brings over 20 years of commercial loan experience to her new position.

As part of its ongoing community development activities, Columbia Bank: has been a part of a team of lenders who funded Multi-Services Center's efforts to build affordable senior housing in the Kent area; provides ongoing funding for the Tacoma Urban League; financed the rehabilitation of a major wing of Shiloh Baptist Church for its educational programs; financed a multi- service building for the Allen Ame Church in Tacoma; financed a multi-service center for the Greater Christ Temple Church; and offers down payment assistance to low income and disabled people who qualify through the WSHC Home Choice Program in Longview.

Ms. Furey has been with Columbia Bank since 1996, beginning as a Commercial Loan Officer and then was appointed to Special Credits Officer and Vice President. Previous to Columbia Bank, she was a Commercial Loan Officer with Washington Mutual and Pacific First. She began her career in 1983 as a Lending and Branch Manager for First Mutual Bank in Bellevue.

Currently a first year student at the Pacific Coast Banking School, Ms Furey, has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Idaho and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Central Washington University. She is active in the community, and is a Board Member of the Broadway Center for Performing Arts and a Member of the Tacoma Sunrise Rotary. She lives in Edgewood with her husband and two children.

Columbia Bank is a Washington state-chartered, full-service commercial bank providing products and services to individuals, business and the real estate community. A wholly owned subsidiary of Columbia Banking System Inc, (Nasdaq: COLB) Columbia Bank currently operates 34 branches in Pierce, King, Cowlitz, Kitsap and Thurston counties.

Contact: JoAnne Coy, Vice President, Marketing Director

              253-305-1965


SOURCE  Columbia Bank
    -0-                             05/20/2004
    /CONTACT:  JoAnne Coy, Vice President, Marketing Director, of Columbia
Bank, +1-253-305-1965/
    /Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040520/SFTH066
              AP Archive:  http://photoarchive.ap.org
              PRN Photo Desk, 888-776-6555 or 212-782-2840/
    /Web site:  http://www.columbiabank.com /
    (COLB)

CO:  Columbia Bank; Columbia Banking System Inc
ST:  Washington
IN:  FIN
SU:  PER

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6956 05/20/200414:36 EDThttp://www.prnewswire.com