Banner Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Banner Corporation (NASDAQ:BANR), received the highest ranking in retail banking customer satisfaction in the Northwest Region in J.D. Power and Associates’ 2012 Retail Banking Satisfaction Study℠.

This is the seventh consecutive year J.D. Power and Associates has conducted a customer satisfaction study of the retail banking industry, but was the first year Banner was eligible for ranking in the study. Customer satisfaction is measured in six factors that define the retail banking customer’s relationship with their financial institution.

Banner Bank earned an index score of 821 and received high satisfaction marks for the bank’s product offerings and account support services. Additionally, Banner outranked the index average of 736 in the Northwest Region (defined as Washington and Oregon) by 85 points.

“Banner Bank’s vision states that we are committed to being the best provider of financial services in the Northwest. We believe the distinction of being ranked as the bank with the ‘Highest Customer Satisfaction with Retail Banking in the Northwest Region’ by J.D. Power and Associates demonstrates Banner’s commitment to our vision,” said Mark Grescovich, President and CEO of Banner Bank. “Banner has always viewed our clients and our employees as our most valuable assets. Our front line teams deliver responsive, proactive service with the sole purpose of exceeding our clients’ needs. This honor bestowed on Banner Bank by J.D. Power and Associates shows that our dedication to providing exceptional service and products is recognized and appreciated.”

About Banner Bank

Banner Bank is a Washington-chartered commercial bank that conducts business from 86 locations in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Banner Bank is a community bank which offers a wide variety of commercial banking services and financial products to individuals and small and medium-sized businesses and their employees in its primary market area. Visit Banner Bank on the Web at www.bannerbank.com.

About Banner Corporation

Banner Corporation is a $4.2 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.

About J.D. Power and Associates

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, Web intelligence and customer satisfaction. The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

DISCLAIMER

Banner Bank received the highest numerical score among retail banks in the Northwest region in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Retail Banking Satisfaction Study℠. The study was based on 51,498 total responses measuring nine providers in the Northwest region (OR & WA) and measured opinions of consumers with their primary banking provider. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed January-February, 2012. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.