Exhibit 99.1

Press Release

February 12, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For further information contact:
Doug Gulling, Chief Financial Officer
515-222-2309

WEST BANCORPORATION, INC. ANNOUNCES NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

West Des Moines,  IA - On February  12,  2003,  the Board of  Directors  of West
Bancorporation,  Inc.,  (WTBA) the parent  company of West Des Moines State Bank
(West  Bank),  announced  the  election  of Thomas  E.  Stanberry  as  Chairman,
President and Chief Executive Officer of West Bancorporation, Inc. Mr. Stanberry
is replacing David L. Miller who earlier announced his retirement. Mr. Stanberry
was also elected to the Board of Directors of the Company and will also serve on
the Board of Directors of West Bank.

David L.  Miller,  who has held  these  positions  since the  formation  of West
Bancorporation,  Inc.  in 1984,  will  continue  on the  Board of  Directors  as
Chairman  Emeritus and will continue on the Board of Directors of West Bank. Mr.
Miller has a lifetime  contract  with the  Company,  which  among  other  things
provides  him with an office at West  Bank.  Mr.  Miller has been with West Bank
since 1961.

Mr.  Stanberry,  48, has spent the last 14 years with U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray
in a  variety  of  capacities,  currently  as a  Managing  Director  and  Senior
Investment Banker in its Fixed Income Capital Markets Division. He is a graduate
of the Drake  University Law School and Wabash  College.  Prior to joining Piper
Jaffray in 1989 Mr. Stanberry was a partner in the Des Moines law firm of Ahlers
& Cooney,  P.C. (formerly Ahlers,  Cooney,  Dorweiler,  Haynie,  Smith & Allbee,
P.C.).

Mr. Stanberry has been active in numerous civic and professional  organizations.
He currently  serves on the board of trustees of Wabash  College,  the boards of
directors  of the  Minneapolis  Area  Chapter of the  American Red Cross and the
Downtown  Minneapolis  YMCA,  which he  chairs.  He is a past Vice  Chair of the
Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board.

The election of Mr.  Stanberry is effective March 1, 2003. He will be relocating
to West Des Moines in the near future.