EXHIBIT 99
                                                                      ----------

                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                           ---------------------
                                                                    JULY 1, 2002

                                     Contacts: William T. Weyerhaeuser, Chairman
                                                                  (253) 272-8336
                                               Melanie J. Dressel, President and
                                                         Chief Operating Officer
                                                                  (253) 305-1911

                     COLUMBIA BANKING SYSTEM, INC. ANNOUNCES
                         CHANGE IN EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT

            TACOMA, WA - The Board of Directors of Columbia Banking System, Inc.
(CBSI) and its principal subsidiary, Columbia Bank, announced today that they
have accepted the resignation of J. James Gallagher, 63, as Vice Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer of the holding company and Vice Chairman of Columbia
Bank. Mr. Gallagher has agreed to serve as a consultant for the Company.

            William T. Weyerhaeuser, a director of the Company since 1998 and
the Chairman of the Board since 2001, will assume the position of interim Chief
Executive Officer of CBSI. Mr. Weyerhaeuser also is Chairman of the Board of
EDEN Bioscience Corporation and a director of Potlach Corporation, a forest
products company. He is the former Chairman of Comerco, Inc., a holding company
for the Yelm Telephone Company; and Rock Island Company, a private investment
company.

            Melanie Dressel will continue as President and Chief Executive
Officer of the Bank and President and Chief Operating Officer of CBSI. Hal
Russell, Don Hirtzel and Tex Whitney will continue to lead the credit,
commercial and retail functions of the Bank, and Gary Schminkey will continue as
Chief Financial Officer.

            "We are indebted to Jim for his valuable service to the Company
during the past four years and wish him the best," said Bill Weyerhaeuser. "We
are very pleased that Jim has agreed to provide his guidance and expertise as a
consultant for the organization. We look forward to leading CBSI and the Bank
into our next phase, as we continue to focus on improving earnings and credit
quality and providing exceptional customer service."

            Columbia is a Tacoma-based bank holding company whose wholly owned
subsidiary is Columbia Bank, a Washington state-chartered, full-service
commercial bank, with 35 banking offices in Pierce, King, Cowlitz, Kitsap and
Thurston counties. Columbia's common stock trades on the Nasdaq Stock Market
(NSM) under the symbol COLB.

                                      # # #

NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This release includes forward looking statements, which management believes are
a benefit to shareholders. These forward looking statements describe Columbia's
management's expectations regarding future events and

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developments such as future operating results, growth in loans and deposits,
continued success of Columbia's style of banking and the strength of the local
economy. The words "will," "believe," "expect," "should," and "anticipate" and
words of similar construction are intended in part to help identify forward
looking statements. Future events are difficult to predict, and the expectations
described above are necessarily subject to risk and uncertainty that may cause
actual results to differ materially and adversely. In addition to discussions
about risks and uncertainties set forth from time to time in Columbia's filings
with the SEC, factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from
those contemplated by such forward looking statements include, among others, the
following possibilities: (1) local and national general and economic conditions,
including the impact of the events of September 11, 2001 and potential similar
future events, are less favorable than expected or have a more direct and
pronounced effect on Columbia than expected and adversely affect Columbia's
ability to continue its internal growth at historical rates and maintain the
quality of its earning assets; (2) changes in interest rates reduce interest
margins more than expected and negatively affect funding sources; (3) projected
business increases following strategic expansion or opening or acquiring new
branches are lower than expected; (4) costs or difficulties related to the
integration of acquisitions are greater than expected; (5) competitive pressure
among financial institutions increases significantly; or (6) legislation or
regulatory requirements or changes adversely affect the businesses in which
Columbia is engaged.




















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