Columbia Bank’s President and CEO Hadley Robbins will retire on December 31, 2019 after nearly seven years of service with the company and nearly 40 years in banking. Columbia’s board of directors has appointed Clint Stein, Columbia’s current chief operating officer, to succeed Robbins as CEO.
“It has been truly rewarding to work with such a talented group of bankers during my almost seven years with Columbia. Their commitment to our clients, our communities and each other is unparalleled and I am proud of what we accomplished together,” said Robbins. “We have grown our franchise to more than $13 billion, attained recognition as an employer of choice and made significant progress on a multi-year digital roadmap that improves our ability to serve clients when, where and how they choose. Columbia’s future is very bright and I am pleased to be passing the torch to a leader who is equally passionate about the success of our company and deeply committed to our people, our clients and our communities.”
Stein offered the following remarks on his appointment: “I’m honored to be chosen by the board as Columbia’s next CEO. I had the privilege of working closely with Melanie Dressel for over a decade and with Hadley for the past seven years. I look forward to building on their legacy and the tremendous foundation they established.”
Stein will transition to the role of CEO on January 1, 2020, when Robbins officially steps down. Chris Merrywell, Columbia’s chief consumer banking officer, will succeed Stein in the role of chief operating officer.
Stein joined Columbia in 2005 and was named executive vice president and chief operating officer in 2017. Prior to this appointment, he held the role of executive vice president and chief financial officer. He is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Business Administration from the University of Idaho. Stein was named a CFO of the year in 2015 by the Puget Sound Business Journal and is a past member of the board of the Pierce County Chamber of Commerce.
Merrywell joined Columbia Bank in 2012 and was appointed executive vice president and chief consumer banking officer in 2017. His role includes leadership of the company’s Wealth Management, Private & Healthcare Banking and Retail Banking divisions. He previously held the role of senior vice president and Wealth Management director and boasts 30 years of experience in financial services.
Headquartered in Tacoma, WA, Columbia Bank is a full-service commercial bank with locations throughout Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
