Bellingham-based Saturna Capital Corporation has been named to Inc. Magazine’s annual Inc. 5000 list, an exclusive ranking of America’s fastest-growing private companies.

With a ranking of 1,177 and a three-year sales growth rate of 252 percent, Saturna joins such well-known companies as Spirit Airlines, Honest Tea and Dunkin Donuts on this year’s list.

This marks the third consecutive year Saturna has been recognized by Inc. Magazine for its entrepreneurial accomplishment. Saturna debuted on the list in 2009 at 408, and ranked 847 on the 2010 list.

“We are determined to continue growing Saturna into the foreseeable future and are taking concrete steps to secure that growth,” Jane Carten, Saturna’s president and CEO, said in a press release. “This year we have hired key executive personnel, including a new vice president of product development, to lead our expansion into institutional, sub-advisory, and retail separately managed account product areas.”

Complete results of the Inc. 5000 list, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/5000.