---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0000887343-25-000143"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "COLB"
cik: "0000887343"
company_name: "COLUMBIA BANKING SYSTEM, INC."
filed_at: "2025-04-02T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-24T00:13:28.684455+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.6
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Columbia Banking eliminates Executive Chair role; O'Haver departs, Pope named non-executive chair

## Summary
- Cort O'Haver resigned as Executive Chair and director, effective March 31, 2025.
- Board eliminated Executive Chair role, citing successful merger integration with Umpqua.
- Maria Pope elected independent non-executive Board Chair, effective April 1, 2025.
- O'Haver receives severance per 2021 employment letter for involuntary termination without cause.
- Pope is president/CEO of Portland General Electric; served on Columbia board since merger.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0000887343-25-000143
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: COLB
- cik: 0000887343
- company_name: COLUMBIA BANKING SYSTEM, INC.
- filed_at: 2025-04-02T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.6
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/887343/000088734325000143/0000887343-25-000143-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/887343/000088734325000143/colb-20250330.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000887343-25-000143
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000887343-25-000143.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000887343-25-000143.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Cort O'Haver resigned as Executive Chair at COLUMBIA BANKING SYSTEM, INC..
  - Action: resigned
  - Role: Executive Chair
  source text: On March 30, 2025, the board of directors of Columbia Banking System, Inc. (the "Company") determined that Mr. Cort O’Haver, the Executive Chair of the Company’s board of directors, would no longer serve as Executive Chair, effective as of March 31, 2025.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/887343/000088734325000143/0000887343-25-000143-index.htm
- Executive change
  Maria Pope was elected as independent, non-executive chair at COLUMBIA BANKING SYSTEM, INC..
  - Action: elected
  - Role: independent, non-executive chair
  source text: the board elected director Maria Pope to serve as the independent, non-executive chair of the Company’s board of directors, effective April 1, 2025.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/887343/000088734325000143/0000887343-25-000143-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.