FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Expires: January 31, 2005 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * BENNETT DOUGLAS M   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol BANNER CORP [BANR] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Executive Vice President (Last) (First) (Middle) 10 SOUTH FIRST AVE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 04/01/2017 (Street) WALLA WALLA, WA 99362 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock, $.01 par value per share 04/01/2017   F   131 (1) D $ 55.955 (2) 6,006 (3) D   Common Stock, $.01 par value per share 04/03/2017   A   1,169 (4) A $ 54.983 (5) 7,175 (3) D   Common Stock, $.01 par value per share 04/03/2017   A   1,753 (6) A $ 54.983 (5) 8,928 (3) D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
	Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.		SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
BENNETT DOUGLAS M 10 SOUTH FIRST AVE WALLA WALLA, WA 99362			Executive Vice President

Signatures

/s/Douglas M. Bennett		04/04/2017
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Shares relinquished to cover tax obligation on vesting of 480 shares of restricted stock pursuant to 2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan.
(2)	Market price on March 31, 2017.
(3)	Includes direct ownership of 18 shares through Deferred Compensation Plan. Also includes indirect ownership of 3 shares through son.
(4)	Represents award pursuant to 2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan; shares vest ratably over a three-year period beginning on April 3, 2017 and ending on the third anniversary thereof. These shares are subject to forfeiture and to limits on transferability until they vest.
(5)	Market price on April 3, 2017.
(6)	Represents award pursuant to 2014 Omnibus Incentive Plan and is subject to the achievement of specified corporate and individual performance goals over a period that began on January 1, 2017 and ends on December 31, 2019. The extent to which the award vests, if at all, depends on the extent to which the performance goals are satisfied. These shares are subject to forfeiture and to limits on transferability until they vest.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.