BANR INVESTOR ALERT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP Announces an Investigation of the Board of Directors of Banner Corporation Concerning Purchase of Starbuck Bancshares, Inc.

Levi & Korsinsky is investigating the Board of Directors of Banner Corporation (“Banner” or “the Company”) (NasdaqGS:BANR) for possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of state law in connection with the Company’s purchase of Starbuck Bancshares, Inc. (“Starbuck”).

Click here to learn more about the investigation: http://zlk.9nl.com/banner-corporation-banr.

Under the terms of the agreement, Starbuck will merge into a subsidiary of Banner, while Starbuck’s subsidiary bank, AmericanWest Bank, will merge into Banner’s subsidiary bank, Banner Bank. Shareholders of AmericanWest will receive 13.23 million shares of Banner common stock and $130.0 million in cash and, following completion of the merger, AmericanWest shareholders will own approximately 38.77% of the post-merger Company’s stock. The investigation concerns whether the Board of Banner breached their fiduciary duties to stockholders by agreeing to the transaction.

If you own Banner common stock and wish to obtain additional information, please contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at jlevi@zlk.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500, toll-free: (877) 363-5972, or visit http://zlk.9nl.com/banner-corporation-banr.

Levi & Korsinsky is a national firm with offices in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Washington D.C. The firm’s attorneys have extensive expertise in prosecuting securities litigation involving financial fraud, representing investors throughout the nation in securities and shareholder lawsuits. For more information, please feel free to contact any of the attorneys listed below. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.