Exhibit 99.1

     First PacTrust Bancorp, Inc. Announces Annual Meeting Dates

    CHULA VISTA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 3, 2004--First PacTrust
Bancorp, Inc.(Nasdaq:FPTB), the parent corporation of Pacific Trust
Bank, has announced that its 2004 annual meeting of shareholders will
be held 9:00 a.m. PDT on April 21, 2004 at the Bonita Golf Club
located at 5540 Sweetwater Road, Bonita, California. Shareholders of
record as of March 12, 2004 will be entitled to notice of and to vote
at the meeting.
    First PacTrust Bancorp, Inc. is a $624.0 million bank holding
company headquartered in Chula Vista, California with eight Pacific
Trust Bank branches serving primarily San Diego and Riverside Counties
in California.


    CONTACT: First PacTrust Bancorp Inc., Chula Vista
             Hans Ganz, 619-691-1519