Banner Corporation to Participate in Panel Discussion at Sandler O'Neill Financial Services Conference

WALLA WALLA, Wash., March 1, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Banner Corporation (Nasdaq:BANR), the parent company of Banner Bank and Islanders Bank, today announced that Mark J. Grescovich, President and CEO, is scheduled to participate in a Washington Banks Panel at the Sandler O'Neill & Partners West Coast Financial Services Conference on Tuesday, March 8, at 2:35 p.m. PST.

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WALLA WALLA, Wash., March 1, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Banner Corporation (Nasdaq:BANR), the parent company of Banner Bank and Islanders Bank, today announced that Mark J. Grescovich, President and CEO, is scheduled to participate in a Washington Banks Panel at the Sandler O'Neill & Partners West Coast Financial Services Conference on Tuesday, March 8, at 2:35 p.m. PST.

The conference is scheduled for March 7-9 in Marina del Rey, California. The panel discussion will be available in its entirety, both live and via 30-day replay, at .

About Banner Corporation

Banner Corporation is a $4.6 billion bank holding company operating two commercial banks in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Banner serves the Pacific Northwest region with a full range of deposit services and business, commercial real estate, construction, residential, agricultural and consumer loans. Visit Banner Bank on the Web at .

CONTACT: Mark J. Grescovich, President & CEO Lloyd W. Baker, CFO (509) 527-3636