UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of

The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):

March 18, 2020

COLUMBIA BANKING SYSTEM, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Washington	000-20288	91-1422237
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

1301 A Street

Tacoma, WA 98402-2156

(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

(253) 305-1900

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading symbol	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, No Par Value	COLB	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On March 12, 2020, Columbia Banking System, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into an employment separation agreement (the “Separation Agreement”) with Gregory A. Sigrist in connection with Mr. Sigrist’s prior termination of service. Under the terms of the Separation Agreement, in exchange for executing a release of claims against the Company and Columbia State Bank, Mr. Sigrist will receive the gross sum of $250,000, less routine payroll deductions and withholdings.

A copy of the Separation Agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing description of the Separation Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Separation Agreement.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits.

The following exhibits are being filed herewith:

Exhibit No.	Description
10.1	Employment Separation Agreement dated March 12, 2020, by Columbia State Bank, Columbia Banking System, Inc. and Greg Sigrist
104	The cover page from the Current Report on Form 8-K, formatted as Inline XBRL.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

		COLUMBIA BANKING SYSTEM, INC.
Date:	March 18, 2020	/s/ KUMI Y. BARUFFI
		Kumi Y. Baruffi
		Executive Vice President, General Counsel