Exhibit 99.1

       Harrington West to Present at Sandler O'Neill & Partners
               West Coast Financial Services Conference

    SOLVANG, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 8, 2005--Harrington West
Financial Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: HWFG), the holding company for Los
Padres Bank, FSB and its division Harrington Bank, today announced
that Craig J. Cerny, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, will be
presenting at the Sandler O'Neill West Coast Financial Services
Conference on Thursday, March 10, 2005 at 5:25 pm PST to be held at
the Four Seasons Resort, Aviara - North San Diego. Mr. William "Butch"
Phillips, President, will be joining Mr. Cerny. This 30 minute
presentation including a question and answer period will focus on
HWFG's performance, strategy, and outlook. It will be webcast via
www.sandleroneill.com or please go to Harringtonwest.com and click on
the URL listed for the presentation's webcast. This presentation will
also be available via audio conference at 800-239-8730 by referencing
Session 2 of the conference.
    Harrington West Financial Group, Inc. is a $1.1 billion,
diversified, financial institution holding company for Los Padres Bank
and its division Harrington Bank. HWFG will operate 15 full service
banking offices on the central coast of California, Scottsdale
Arizona, and the Kansas City metro, when it opens its second banking
office in the Scottsdale Airpark in early 2005 and completes the
acquisition of a banking office with deposits of $51.9 million in
Thousand Oaks, California. HWFG also owns Harrington Wealth Management
Company, a trust and investment management company with $134.8 million
in assets under management or custody.

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