TACOMA, Wash., Oct. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Columbia Bank announced that Barbara Cooch has joined the Columbia Private Banking Team in Bellevue as a Senior Vice President and Private Banking Manager.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071023/AQTU257)

"We are very pleased to have Barbara and her team join our Bellevue Columbia Private Banking group. Barbara's extensive experience in serving the Medical and Dental Professional market provides great opportunities to expand our offerings in this growing market segment," said Dean McSweeney, Senior Vice President and Private Banking Manager.

Mrs. Cooch has over 29 years in the banking and professional market. Prior to joining Columbia Bank, she was a Senior Vice President in Business Banking at Cascade Bank. A believer in client centered banking; Mrs. Cooch will continue to build the Medical and Dental Professional market for Columbia Bank. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and a fifth year Secondary Teaching Certificate from the University of Colorado.

An Eastside native for the past 21 years, Mrs. Cooch resides in Bellevue with her husband, Jim. She has two grown sons, Devin and Rob.

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: Stephanie Ursino, Senior Vice President
             Marketing Director
             Columbia Bank
             253-305-1993

SOURCE Columbia Bank

Contact: Stephanie Ursino, Senior Vice President, Marketing Director of Columbia Bank, +1-253-305-1993