Columbia Bank executive to speak at Western Friday

Mark Nelson, chief operating officer and executive vice president of Columbia Bank, will speak from 3 to 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, in Communications Facility Room 110 on campus. Nelson's presentation is part of the Strategic Management Executive Strategy Speaker Series from Western Washington University’s College of Business and Economics. The presentation is free and open to the public.

In addition to directing various bank departments, Nelson directs Columbia Bank's commercial, consumer lending and branch banking functions. Before joining Columbia Bank, Nelson was senior vice president and chief lending officer at Whidbey Island Bank. His 35 years experience includes Evergreen Bank, Bank of America and Puget Sound National Bank.

Nelson graduated from WWU in 1973 with a B.A. in Business Administration and in 1981 with an MBA. He is also a graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School and earned a Certified Risk Professional designation from the Bank Administration Institute. Nelson serves on the Western MBA advisory board.

The WWU College of Business and Economics Strategic Management Executive Strategy Speaker Series program brings senior business leaders to campus to interact with students and share their perspectives on strategic management, leadership and professional development. The series is presented by the CBE’s Center for Excellence in Management Education.

For more information about these events and others, please contact Jacquelyn Styrna at (360) 650-3896.