Exhibit 99.1

July 28, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

Doug Gulling, Chief Financial Officer

515-222-2309

West Bancorporation, Inc. Announces Results for 2nd Quarter of 2003

West Des Moines, Iowa - West Bancorporation, Inc. (Nasdaq: WTBA), parent company
of West Des Moines State Bank (West Bank), reports net income for the second
quarter of 2003 of $4,251,000, which is a 6.0 percent increase over the same
period last year. Earnings per share were $.26 this year compared to $.25 last
year. Total capital as a percentage of total assets was 10.4 percent as of June
30, 2003. For the second quarter of 2003, the return on average equity was 19.35
percent, the return on average assets was 1.92 percent and the efficiency ratio
was 29.54 percent.

For the first half of 2003, net income was $8,301,000, or $.52 per share, which
is also a 6.0 percent increase over last year.

Net income year-to-date for the first half of 2003 exceeded last year primarily
because of an increase in non-interest income which continues to be higher than
last year due to the purchase of bank owned life insurance (BOLI), surcharge
fees from non-bank customers using our automated teller machines and gains from
the sale of investment securities. West Bank invested in BOLI during the first
quarter of this year to help offset the cost of employee benefits. In July the
board of directors approved the recommendation that the bank increase the amount
of BOLI to take advantage of the attractive tax-free yield earned on the funds
invested in BOLI. The size and timing of an increase in the BOLI investment is
under consideration.

Net interest margin has declined 24 basis points from a year ago. The decline is
due mostly to a change in the mix of the company's interest earning assets. A
higher proportion of interest earning assets is invested in federal funds sold
and investment securities. These categories of interest earning assets yield
less than loans. The company continues to maintain high credit quality in
investment securities and keep the duration of its portfolio relatively short.

Loans as of June 30, 2003, totaled $500,069,000, up $19,858,000 from a year ago.
Nonaccrual loans have declined from $1,376,000 as of June 30, 2002, to $385,000
at June 30, 2003. In that same timeframe, other real estate owned, which
represents real estate obtained through foreclosure, has declined from $800,000
to $522,000. The allowance for loan losses as a percentage of total loans is .96
percent as of June 30, 2003. This compares to .93 percent a year ago.

On July 18, 2003, West Bank completed the acquisition of Hawkeye State Bank in
Iowa City. Hawkeye State Bank will operate as an office of West Bank, bringing
total assets of West Bank to $1 billion. Lynn Rowat, an experienced and
well-known banker from Iowa City, was hired to be the Iowa City market
president.

On July 11, 2003, the company announced the acquisition of VMF Capital, LLC
("VMF"). VMF is the largest independent asset manager headquartered in Iowa,
with offices in Cedar Rapids and Clive. Asset management is a key element of the
financial solutions that will be needed by a growing segment of our population.
This acquisition is expected to be completed on Oct. 1, 2003, at which time VMF
will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of West Bancorporation, Inc.

Also on July 18, 2003, the company issued $20 million in trust preferred
securities through a pooled offering. The interest rate on these securities is
fixed at 6.975% for seven years. At the end of that seven-year period, the
interest rate becomes variable at 305 basis points over the 90 day London
Inter-Bank Offering Rate (LIBOR). The securities also become callable at the
company's option after that seven-year period.

ABOUT WEST BANCORPORATION, INC.
West Bancorporation, Inc. is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa and is the
parent company of West Bank, which has been serving the greater metropolitan Des
Moines area for 110 years and Hawkeye State Bank, an office of West Bank, with
two offices in Iowa City. West Bank focuses on lending, deposit services and
trust services for consumers and small to medium sized businesses. Visit
http://www.westbankiowa.com for more information.

"SAFE HARBOR" STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT

Certain statements in this Press Release including any discussion of
management's expectations for future periods (such as those relating to the
Company's growth and acquisition strategies, new products and services, and
future financial performance), constitute "forward-looking statements" within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such
forward-looking information is based upon certain underlying assumptions, risks
and uncertainties. Because of the possibility of change in the underlying
assumptions, actual results could differ materially from the future results
expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors that may
affect future results include: pricing pressures on loans and deposits, actions
of bank and non-bank competitors, changes in local and national economic
conditions, changes in regulatory requirements, actions of the Federal Reserve
Board, and customer's acceptance of the Company's products and services. The
Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking
statements to reflect current events or circumstances after the date hereof or
to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

(unaudited)
June 30,
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CONDITION 2003 2002
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assets
Cash and due from banks ...................... $ 25,564,476 $ 29,178,395
Short-term investments ....................... 68,916,380 82,516,248
Securities ................................... 255,141,662 219,335,176
Loans ........................................ 500,068,690 480,210,690
Allowance for loan losses .................... (4,796,329) (4,475,600)
------------------------------
Loans, net ................................... 495,272,361 475,735,090
Other assets ................................. 19,005,740 9,172,785
------------------------------
Total assets ......................... $ 863,900,619 $ 815,937,694
==============================

Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
Deposits:
Noninterest-bearing ........................ $ 155,297,839 $ 140,059,911
Interest-bearing
Demand ................................... 37,371,926 32,629,697
Savings .................................. 280,330,844 238,567,428
Time ..................................... 85,427,006 159,252,442
------------------------------
Time deposits ................................ 558,427,615 570,509,478
Short-term borrowings ........................ 161,685,796 109,511,177
Long-term borrowings ......................... 51,600,000 51,600,000
Other liabilities ............................ 2,552,302 2,109,824
Stockholders' euqity ......................... 89,634,906 82,207,215
------------------------------
Total liabilities and stockholders'
equity ............................... $ 863,900,619 $ 815,937,694
==============================

Per Common Share Market Information*
Net Income Dividends High Low
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2003

1st quarter .......... $ 0.25 $ 0.16 $ 17.54 $ 14.35
2nd quarter .......... 0.26 0.16 19.61 15.77

2002

1st quarter .......... $ 0.24 $ 0.15 $ 14.00 $ 11.50
2nd quarter .......... 0.25 0.15 18.00 13.15
3rd quarter .......... 0.26 0.16 16.50 14.38
4th quarter .......... 0.27 0.16 15.63 14.40

* The prices shown are the high and low sale prices for the Company's common
stock, which trades on the NASDAQ National Market, under the symbol WTBA.
The market quotations, reported by NASDAQ, do not include retail markup,
markdown or commissions.

(unaudited) (unaudited)
Three Months Ended Six Months Ended
June 30, June 30,
2003 2002 2003 2002
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS
Return on average equity ............ 19.35% 19.92% 19.19% 19.70%
Return on average assets ............ 1.92 1.97 1.91 1.92
Net interest margin ................. 3.73 4.11 3.77 4.01
Efficiency ratio .................... 29.54 30.23 30.05 30.26

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
Interest income
Loans ............................... $ 7,667,478 $ 8,307,961 $15,369,314 $16,561,231
Securities .......................... 2,293,400 2,596,728 4,525,679 4,870,694
Other ............................... 379,187 359,557 818,680 862,228
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Total interest income ....... 10,340,065 11,264,246 20,713,673 22,294,153
--------------------------------------------------------

Interest expense
Deposits ............................ 1,453,794 2,326,088 3,063,812 4,703,098
Short-term borrowings ............... 493,976 439,316 891,708 983,400
Long-term borrowings ................ 715,907 715,907 1,423,947 1,403,661
--------------------------------------------------------
Total interest expense ...... 2,663,677 3,481,311 5,379,467 7,090,159
--------------------------------------------------------

Net interest income ................. 7,676,388 7,782,935 15,334,206 15,203,994
Provision for loan losses ........... 175,000 230,000 375,000 460,000
--------------------------------------------------------
Net interest income after
provision for loan losses ... 7,501,388 7,552,935 14,959,206 14,743,994
--------------------------------------------------------

Noninterest income
Service charges on deposit accounts . 1,221,683 1,115,116 2,277,876 2,118,736
Trust services ...................... 122,000 141,657 254,000 299,634
Net realized gains from sales of
securities available for sale ..... 95,867 -- 195,607 --
Other income ........................ 499,483 318,007 915,972 642,227
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Total noninterest income .... 1,939,033 1,574,780 3,643,455 3,060,597
--------------------------------------------------------

Noninterest expense
Salaries and employee benefits ...... 1,707,443 1,615,329 3,426,720 3,199,812
Occupancy expense ................... 352,874 320,184 723,123 638,718
Data processing expense ............. 248,889 265,519 492,174 530,342
Other expense ....................... 568,963 700,457 1,142,257 1,306,851
--------------------------------------------------------
Total noninterest expense ... 2,878,169 2,901,489 5,784,274 5,675,723
--------------------------------------------------------

Income before income taxes .......... 6,562,252 6,226,226 12,818,387 12,128,868
Income taxes ........................ 2,311,391 2,217,299 4,516,961 4,300,640
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Net income .................. $ 4,250,861 $ 4,008,927 $ 8,301,426 $ 7,828,228
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