UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549 ~~___________________________~~

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

~~the~~ Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (~~Date~~date of earliest event reported): March 18, 2013

January 31, 2013

WEST COAST BANCORP

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Oregon

Oregon

001-34509

93-0810577

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

(Commission

File Number)

(IRS Employer

Identification Number)

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)


5335 Meadows Road, Suite 201, Lake Oswego, Oregon		97035
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

0Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (503) 684-~~10997~~0884

~~(SEC~~Not ~~File~~Applicable ~~Number)~~

~~93-0810577~~(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrants under any of the following provisions (~~IRS~~see ~~Employer~~General ~~Identification~~Instruction NoA.2. below):

5335 Meadows Road, Suite 201
Lake Oswego, Oregon	97035
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

(503) 684-0884

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

x	Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨	Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 85.0107. ~~Other~~Submission ~~Events.~~of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

~~This~~A ~~Current~~special ~~Report~~meeting of shareholders of West Coast Bancorp (“West Coast”) was held on ~~Form~~March 18, ~~8-K~~2013. isThe ~~being~~special meeting was held in order to vote upon the following proposals set ~~filed~~forth ~~solely~~in ~~for~~West Coast’s definitive proxy statement, filed with the ~~purpose~~U.S. ofSecurities ~~incorporating~~and itExchange byCommission ~~reference~~(the “SEC”) on February 6, 2013: (1) to approve the ~~Registration~~Agreement ~~Statement~~and onPlan ~~Form~~of ~~S-4~~Merger ~~filed~~(the “Merger Agreement”), dated as of September 25, 2012, by and among Columbia Banking System, Inc. (“Columbia”), inWest ~~connection~~Coast, ~~with~~and Sub (as defined therein) (the ~~pending~~“Merger ~~merger~~Proposal”); ~~between~~(2) to ~~Columbia~~approve, ~~and~~on a non-binding, advisory basis, the compensation to be paid to West Coast’s ~~Bancorp~~named executive officers that is based on or otherwise relates to the merger (the “~~West Coast~~Merger-Related Named Executive Officer Compensation Proposal”).; Noand (3) to ~~changes~~approve one or ~~modifications~~more ~~have~~adjournments ~~been~~of ~~made~~the tospecial ~~the~~meeting ~~press~~of ~~release~~the shareholders of ~~January~~West 24Coast, ~~2013~~if necessary or appropriate, ~~announcing~~including ~~West~~adjournments ~~Coast’s financial~~to ~~results~~permit ~~for~~further solicitation of proxies in favor of the ~~fourth~~Merger ~~quarter~~Proposal ~~and~~(the ~~full~~“West Coast ~~year~~Adjournment ~~ended~~Proposal”). ~~December~~At ~~31,~~the ~~2012~~special meeting, ~~which~~the isMerger ~~filed~~Proposal aswas ~~Exhibit~~approved ~~99.1~~by tothe ~~this~~affirmative ~~report and~~vote ~~incorporated~~of bya ~~reference,~~majority ~~and~~of ~~which~~the ~~was~~outstanding ~~previously~~shares ~~furnished~~of asWest ~~Exhibit~~Coast ~~99.1~~common stock entitled to vote at the ~~Current~~special ~~Report~~meeting. onIn ~~Form 8-K~~addition, ~~filed~~the Merger-Related Named Executive Officer Compensation Proposal was also approved by West Coast onshareholders. ~~January~~Sufficient 30votes were also received to approve the West Coast Adjournment Proposal, ~~2013~~but an adjournment was not necessary in light of the approval of the Merger Proposal.

~~Important~~There ~~Additional~~were ~~Information~~19,317,312 shares of West Coast common stock issued and outstanding on the record date and eligible to be voted at the special meeting and 16,453,675 shares represented in person or by proxy at the special meeting, which constituted a quorum to conduct business at the meeting.

InThe ~~connection~~items ~~with~~voted ~~the~~upon ~~merger,~~at ~~on November 2, 2012, Columbia filed with~~ the ~~SEC~~special ameeting ~~Registration Statement on Form S-4 that includes a Joint Proxy Statement of Columbia~~ and ~~West~~ ~~Coast~~the asfinal avoting ~~prospectus,~~results ~~and~~for ~~filed~~each ~~amendments~~proposal towere ~~such Registration Statement on December 28, 2012, January 17, 2013, and January 30, 2013,~~ as ~~well~~follows: as other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction. SHAREHOLDERS OF WEST COAST AND COLUMBIA ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, AS AMENDED, AND THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT REGARDING THE MERGER AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

A free copy of the Registration Statement and Joint Proxy Statement, as well as other filings containing information about West Coast and Columbia, may be obtained at the SEC’s Internet site (http://www1.~~sec.gov).~~ ~~Copies~~The ~~can~~Merger also be obtained, free of charge, by directing a written request to Columbia Banking System, Inc., Attention: Corporate Secretary, 1301 A Street, Suite 800, Tacoma, Washington 98401-2156 or to West Coast Bancorp, 5335 Meadows Road, Suite 201, Lake Oswego, Oregon 97035.Proposal

Participants in Solicitation


For	Against	Abstain	Broker Non-Votes
16,292,629	82,044	79,002	—

West Coast and Columbia and certain of their directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of West Coast and Columbia in connection with the merger2. ~~Information~~The ~~about~~Merger-Related ~~the~~Named ~~directors~~Executive ~~and~~Officer ~~executive~~Compensation officers of West Coast and their ownership of West Coast common stock is set forth in the proxy statement for West Coast’s 2012 annual meeting of shareholders, as filed with the SEC on a Schedule 14A on March 13, 2012. Information about the directors and executive officers of Columbia and their ownership of Columbia common stock is set forth in the proxy statement for Columbia’s 2012 annual meeting of shareholders, as filed with the SEC on a Schedule 14A on March 22, 2012. Additional information regarding the interests of those participants and other persons who may be deemed participants in the transaction may be obtained by reading the Joint Proxy Statement regarding the merger. Free copies of this document may be obtained as described in the preceding paragraph.Proposal

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.


For	Against	Abstain	Broker Non-Votes
11,694,735	4,642,661	116,279	—

~~(d)~~3. ~~Exhibits:~~ The ~~following~~West ~~exhibit~~Coast isAdjournment ~~filed with this Form 8-K:~~Proposal

99.1 Press Release dated January 24, 2013.


For	Against	Abstain	Broker Non-Votes
15,547,874	804,157	101,644	—

~~SIGNATURES~~Item 8.01. Other Events

~~Pursuant~~On March 18, to2013, West Coast and Columbia issued a joint press release announcing that the ~~requirements~~shareholders of West Coast and Columbia approved the ~~Securities~~Merger Agreement and the issuance of Columbia shares in connection with the pending merger, ~~Exchange~~respectively, ~~Act~~and also announcing the election deadline in connection with the pending merger of ~~1934~~5:00 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time on March 24, 2013, and the ~~registrant~~receipt ~~has~~of ~~duly~~requisite ~~caused~~regulatory ~~this~~approvals ~~report~~for the merger, which is expected to be completed ~~signed~~ on ~~its~~or ~~behalf~~about byApril 1, 2013. A copy of the ~~undersigned~~press ~~thereunto~~release ~~duly~~is ~~authorized~~attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

	WEST COAST BANCORP
Dated: January 31, 2013	By:	/s/ Kevin McClung
		Kevin McClung
		Vice President and Controller

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This filing may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “target,” “estimate,” “continue,” “positions,” “prospects” or “potential,” by future conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could” or “may,” or by variations of such words or by similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the performance or achievements of Columbia or West Coast to be materially different from any expected future results, performance, or achievements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and neither Columbia nor West Coast assumes any duty to update forward looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the business combination transaction involving Columbia and West Coast, including future financial and operating results, the combined company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: (i) the possibility that the merger does not close when expected or at all because required regulatory, shareholder or other approvals and other conditions to closing are not received or satisfied on a timely basis or at all; (ii) changes in Columbia’s stock price before closing, including as a result of the financial performance of West Coast prior to closing, or more generally due to broader stock market movements, and the performance of financial companies and peer group companies; (iii) the risk that the benefits from the transaction may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected, including as a result of changes in general economic and market conditions, interest and exchange rates, monetary policy, laws and regulations and their enforcement, and the degree of competition in the geographic and business areas in which Columbia and West Coast operate; (iv) the ability to promptly and effectively integrate the businesses of Columbia and West Coast; (v) the reaction to the transaction of the companies’ customers, employees and counterparties; and (vi) diversion of management time on merger-related issues. For more information, see the risk factors described in each of Columbia’s and West Coast’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Important Additional Information

In connection with the proposed merger between West Coast and Columbia, on November 2, 2012, Columbia filed with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that included a Proxy Statement of Columbia and West Coast as a prospectus, and filed amendments to such Registration Statement on December 28, 2012, January 17, 2013, and January 30, 2013, as well as other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction. In addition, West Coast filed a definitive Proxy Statement on February 6, 2013, which was mailed to shareholders on or about February 7, 2013. SHAREHOLDERS OF WEST COAST AND COLUMBIA ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, AS AMENDED, AND THE PROXY STATEMENT REGARDING THE MERGER AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

A free copy of the Registration Statement and Proxy Statement, as well as other filings containing information about West Coast and Columbia, may be obtained at the SEC’s Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). Copies can also be obtained, free of charge, by directing a written request to Columbia Banking System, Inc., Attention: Corporate Secretary, 1301 A Street, Suite 800, Tacoma, Washington 98401-2156 or to West Coast Bancorp, 5335 Meadows Road, Suite 201, Lake Oswego, Oregon 97035.

Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d)	Exhibits. The following exhibits are being filed herewith:


Exhibit No.		Description

99.1		Joint Press Release, dated March 18, 2013.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit Number		Description

99.1		Joint Press Release, dated March 18, 2013.

WEST COAST BANCORP

Date: March 18, 2013

/s/ Robert D. Sznewajs

Robert D. Sznewajs

President and Chief Executive Officer

Filing Compare · WEST COAST BANCORP /NEW/OR/