PRESS RELEASE
November 1, 2004


                                 For further information contact:
                                 David M. Bradley
                                 Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
                                 North Central Bancshares, Inc.
                                 825 Central Avenue
                                 Fort Dodge, Iowa  50501
                                 515-576-7531




              NORTH CENTRAL BANCSHARES, INC. ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT
                         OF NEW CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

         Fort Dodge, Iowa, November 1, 2004 - North Central Bancshares, Inc.
(the "Company") (Nasdaq: FFFD), the holding company for First Federal Savings
Bank of Iowa (the "Bank"), announced that David W. Edge has been appointed Chief
Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Company and Bank, effective October 29,
2004. Edge, age 45, brings over 20 years of financial experience to the Company.
Prior to joining the Company, Edge was Chief, Fiscal Services for the Veterans
Affairs Central Iowa Health Care System in Des Moines, Iowa for 17
months. Prior to that he worked for Principal Bank, Des Moines as Senior
Financial Accounting Leader for 2 years and as the Chief Financial Officer of
ITS, Inc., Johnston, Iowa for over 8 years. Edge is a graduate of Iowa State
University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

         The Company serves north central and southeastern Iowa at ten full
service locations in Fort Dodge, Nevada, Ames, Perry, Ankeny, Clive, Burlington
and Mount Pleasant, Iowa through the Bank, headquartered in Fort Dodge, Iowa.
The Bank's deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation up
to the full extent permitted by law. The Company's stock is traded on The Nasdaq
National Market under the symbol "FFFD".