TACOMA, Wash., (Nov. 2, 2026) — Columbia Bank ranked as the No. 1 U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 7(a) lender in both Oregon and Washington state for federal fiscal year 2026, based on number of approved loans, according to SBA reporting data.
 

This is the ninth consecutive year that Columbia Bank has been the top SBA 7(a) loan producer in Oregon. Earlier this year, Columbia Bank was named “Outstanding Lender of the Year” in Washington by the SBA Seattle District Office.
 

Nationally, Columbia Bank ranked No. 15 in total SBA 7(a) loan approvals in federal fiscal year 2026, up from No. 18 last year.
 

“Every day, our Columbia bankers are building relationships with local businesses to help them achieve their goals and fuel the local economy,” said Amy Davis, Director of Business Banking and SBA Production at Columbia Bank. “SBA loan programs remain crucial to help local businesses start, accelerate, and expand their operations. We want to help as many entrepreneurs as we can realize their dreams of owning and running a successful business.”
 

In Washington, Columbia Bank approved 235 SBA 7(a) loans in federal fiscal year 2026, with an average loan size of $99,517. In Oregon, Columbia Bank approved 205 SBA 7(a) loans in federal fiscal year 2026, with an average loan size of $53,344.
 

About Columbia Bank
Columbia Bank is an award-winning preeminent regional bank with offices in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Washington. It combines the resources, sophistication, and expertise of a national bank with a commitment to deliver superior, personalized service. The bank supports consumers and businesses through a full suite of services, including retail and commercial banking, Small Business Administration lending, institutional and corporate banking, and equipment leasing. Columbia Bank customers also have access to comprehensive investment and wealth management expertise as well as healthcare and private banking through Columbia Wealth Management. Columbia Bank is the principal subsidiary of Columbia Banking System, Inc. (Nasdaq: COLB). Learn more at columbiabank.com and columbiabankingsystem.com.

Date:               Saturday, October 31

Where:           BLM Bat Week webpage

Who:               Ryan GosWING, an Oregon pallid bat

MEDFORD, Ore. –  Ryan GosWING, a pallid bat from Oregon, just swooped in and claimed the Bat Beauty Contest crown! This is the fourth year in a row that an Oregon contestant has won the contest put on by the Bureau of Land Management.

“Thank you to everyone across Oregon and Washington who came out to support Ryan GosWING,” said Sarah P. Bennett, a BLM spooksperson. “With four wins a row, I think we can confidently call this a dynasty—or a ‘cauldron’ the case of bats.”

The annual contest takes place during Bat Week in the lead up to Halloween. While these winged wonders are perfect for spooky season fun, bats play an important role in healthy ecosystems. They help control insect populations, pollinate plants, and disperse seeds, making them valuable residents of public lands across the country.

Did you know that bats provide $3 billion in pest control services to American agriculture every year? Pallid bats like Ryan hunt primarily by sound, using their adorably large ears to listen for insects moving on the ground.

Through partnerships, the BLM provides bat roosting and foraging habitat and supports other bat conservation efforts. Many bat species rely on caves, abandoned mines, forests, grasslands, deserts, and other landscapes managed by the BLM. The BLM manages wildlife and wildlife habitat on public lands using a multiple-use and sustained-yield approach. Established under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, this framework helps maintain healthy wildlife populations while balancing conservation with recreation, resource use, and other public land values.

More information about the contest and International Bat Week is available on the BLM’s website.

-BLM-

The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

VIOLENT REPEAT OFFENDER SENTENCED TO

10 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON

When: TODAY, Friday, OCtober 30

Where: BLM Bat Week webpage

Who:   Ryan GosWING, an Oregon pallid bat

UPDATE: Ryan Goswing, a pallid bat from Oregon, made it to the finals of the BLM's annual Bat Beauty Contest! He beat out the competition from Montana and Utah, and today faces competition. Today he faces Batty White, hairy-legged vampire bat, in the final round. Voting is open until 11 p.m. PT on blm.gov. With a victory Ryan GosWING will secure an Oregon bat dynasty, with four wins in a row.

Did you know that bats provide $3 billion of pest control to American agriculture every year? Through strong partnerships, the BLM helps bat populations by providing roosting and foraging habitat and supporting other bat conservation efforts like bat-friendly closures on abandoned mines.

Original advisory

MEDFORD, Ore. –  It's bat-ck! The Bureau of Land Management is hosting its annual Bat Beauty Contest with a brand new group of stunning contestants.

On Sunday, Oct. 24, Oregon’s own Ryan GosWING will go head-to-head with Dolly BATton, Miss Montana, in the first round. Visit the BLM’s webpage to learn more about Bat Week and vote for Ryan GosWING.

If he makes it through the first round, he’ll represent the Pacific Northwest in the Final Four on Wednesday, Oct. 28. Oregon bats have taken home the crown in the last three contests! Most recently, Hoary Potter was named the winner.

Help us take home a four-peat by voting for this year's Oregon bat when the contest begins on Oct. 24. Make sure you're following Bureau of Land Management so you don't miss your chance to vote!

See the attached media advisory from the BLM for more details.

-BLM-

The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

(Vancouver, WA) – The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust recently announced its annual winners of the Lynwood W. Swanson Awards for excellence in teaching and research at primarily undergraduate institutions in the Pacific Northwest. The winner of the 2026 Lynwood W. Swanson Scientific Research Award was Michael Pitts, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. The winner of the 2026 Lynwood W. Swanson Promise for Scientific Research Award was Jessica Sutter, Ph.D., assistant professor of astronomy at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. More details on both winners, including full profiles, can be found here.

RECIDIVIST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFFENDER SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON