Exhibit 99.1


 Harrington West Financial Group, Inc Declares a 6 for 5 Stock Split
                   in the Form of a Stock Dividend

    SOLVANG, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 11, 2004--Harrington West
Financial Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: HWFG), today announced that its Board
of Directors has declared a 20% common stock dividend payable on March
11, 2004 to holders of record on February 25, 2004. Fractional shares
distributed in connection with this stock dividend will be paid in
cash based on the closing market price of Harrington West shares on
the record date.
    In commenting on the stock dividend, Chairman and CEO of
Harrington West, Craig J. Cerny, stated: "Given the favorable
performance of our stock price since our initial public offering on
November 12, 2002, we wish to reward our shareholders with additional
shares in the Company. This action also increases the outstanding and
issued shares in the Company and thus the liquidity of the shares and
market float."
    Harrington West Financial Group, Inc, is a $974.8 million
financial institution holding company for Los Padres Bank and its
division Harrington Bank. It will operate 13 full service banking
operations on the central coast of California; Scottsdale, Arizona;
and the Kansas City metro when it opens the Ventura, California office
in the spring of 2004. It also owns Harrington Wealth Management
Company, a trust and investment management company with $114.4 million
in assets under management or custody, and 51% of Los Padres Mortgage
Company, LLC, a joint venture mortgage origination company, with
Resources Marketing, Inc., the largest RE/MAX realty franchise in
Arizona, holding the remaining 49%.

    CONTACT: Harrington West Financial Group, Inc.
             Craig J. Cerny, 913-663-0180
             Lisa Watkins, 805-688-6644 (share transfer information)