TACOMA, Wash., Oct. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Columbia Bank recently announced the promotion of Bank Security Manager, Michelle Hill to Assistant Vice President.

Her duties as Bank Security Manager involve the security of Columbia Bank branches as well as supervising and managing the overall operations of the department. Mrs. Hill has over 21 years of banking experience. She has been with Columbia Bank for over nine years now.

"Michelle is a very talented and dedicated long term employee of Columbia Bank, and due to her leadership and talent is very deserving of this promotion. Michelle's departments know how to take exceptional care of our internal and external customers, that is why she is so appreciated by the Bank, and our customers." Said Peter Wild, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer.

Mrs. Hill is a seven year resident of Olympia where she currently resides with her family. She is very active in various communities educating the public on identity theft prevention. Specifically she is a member of NW Fraud Investigators Association, NW License, Tax & Fraud Association, and Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Columbia Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Columbia Banking System, Inc. (Nasdaq: COLB), is a Washington state-chartered full-service commercial bank providing products and services to individuals, business and the real estate community. With the July 23, 2007 completion of the acquisitions of Mountain Bank Holding Company and Town Center Bancorp, Columbia Bank has 48 banking offices in Pierce, King, Cowlitz, Kitsap and Thurston counties in Washington State, and Clackamas and Multnomah counties in Oregon. Included in Columbia Bank are former branches of Mt. Rainier National Bank, doing business as Mt. Rainier Bank, with 7 branches in King and Pierce counties. More information about Columbia can be found on its website at http://www.columbiabank.com.

    Contact: JoAnne Coy, Vice President
    Marketing and Communications Director
    Columbia Bank
    253-305-1965

SOURCE Columbia Bank

Contact: JoAnne Coy, Vice President, Marketing and Communications Director of Columbia Bank, +1-253-305-1965