TACOMA, Wash., May 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Columbia Bank welcomes Lori Meyer as a new Vice President and Manager if the bank's Broadway and 13th and A Street Branches, both located in downtown Tacoma. She will lead retail operations and develop business opportunities in the Tacoma area for both branches.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040506/SFTH116 )

"Lori's experience has an emphasis on retail banking, business development and marketing. We could not have selected a better person to lead our downtown Tacoma branches. We feel very fortunate, because Lori selected Columbia Bank as her 'employer of choice' because of our approach to banking -- put the customer first. We're looking forward to great things," said Avery Johnson, Senior Vice President of Retail Banking.

Lori Meyer has over 21 years of experience in the financial services industry. Most recently, Ms. Meyer was a District Vice President with Key Bank. She led teams in Gig Harbor and Kent and was an area leader for 16 branches in the Peninsula and South Sound area. Her experience includes tenure as Director of Marketing and Human Resources for Credit Union of the Pacific (now Sound Community Bank).

Ms. Meyer is a member of the Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Association, and looks forward to becoming involved with community organizations in Tacoma. She resides in Federal Way with her husband.

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

               Columbia Bank
               1301 A Street
               Tacoma, WA 98402


SOURCE  Columbia Bank
    -0-                             05/06/2004
    /CONTACT:  JoAnne Coy, Vice President, Marketing Director of Columbia
Bank, +1-253-305-1965/
    /Photo:  NewsCom:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040506/SFTH116
              AP Archive:  http://photoarchive.ap.org
              PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com/
    /Web site:  http://www.columbiabank.com /
    (COLB)

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

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8486 05/06/200416:42 EDThttp://www.prnewswire.com