TACOMA, Wash., Jan. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Columbia Banking System, Inc. (NASDAQ: COLB) expects to report fourth quarter and full year 2011 financial results on Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 6:15 a.m. PST. Management will discuss these results on a conference call scheduled for that afternoon at 1:00 p.m. PST (4:00 p.m. EST). Interested parties may listen to this discussion by calling 1-866-378-3802; Conference ID code #43775618.

A conference call replay will be available from approximately 4:00 p.m. PST on January 26, 2012 through midnight PST on February 2, 2012. The conference call replay can be accessed by dialing 1-855-859-2056 and entering Conference ID code #43775618.

About Columbia

Headquartered in Tacoma, Washington, Columbia Banking System, Inc. is the holding Company of Columbia State Bank, a Washington state-chartered full-service commercial bank which was again awarded one of Seattle Business Magazine's 100 Best Companies to Work For 2011 and was designated one of Puget Sound Business Journal's "Washington's Best Workplaces 2011".

Including the recent acquisitions of Bank of Whitman, Summit Bank and First Heritage Bank, Columbia Banking System has 102 banking offices, including 77 branches in Washington State and 25 branches in Oregon. Columbia Bank does business under the Bank of Astoria name in Astoria, Warrenton, Seaside, Cannon Beach, Manzanita and Tillamook in Oregon. More information about Columbia can be found on its website at www.columbiabank.com.

Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which can be identified by words such as "may," "expected," "anticipate", "continue," or other comparable words. In addition, all statements other than statements of historical facts that address activities that Columbia expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Readers are encouraged to read the SEC reports of Columbia, particularly its form 10-K for the Fiscal Year ended December 31, 2010, for meaningful cautionary language discussing why actual results may vary materially from those anticipated by management.

Contact: JoAnne Coy, Vice President,
Corporate Communications
253-305-1965; jcoy@columbiabank.com

SOURCE Columbia Banking System, Inc.