SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT




Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):    January 27, 2003


Commission File Number:                              0-49677



                            WEST BANCORPORATION, INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)



         Iowa                                         42-1230603
  (State of Incorporation)           (I.R.S. Employer Indentification No.)


                  1601 22nd Street, West Des Moines, Iowa 50266
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

Registrant's telephone number:                       515-222-2300







Item 5. Other Events

     The  Registrant  issued a press  release on  January  27,  2003  announcing
earnings for the fourth quarter and year of 2002.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits

     (c) Exhibits 99.1 Press Release of West Bancorporation,  Inc. dated January
27, 2003.

Item 9. Regulation FD Disclosure

     Pursuant to Regulation  FD,  information is being attached as an Exhibit to
this Current Report with respect to a press release announcing  earnings for the
fourth quarter and year 2002.

     The information contained in this Press Release and other financial reports
may  contain   forward-looking   statements   about  the  Company's  growth  and
acquisition  strategies,   new  products  and  services,  and  future  financial
performance,  including  earnings  and  dividends  per share,  return on average
assets,   return  on  average  equity,   efficiency  ratio  and  capital  ratio.
Forward-looking  statements are encouraged by 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 these forward-looking  statements.  Risks and uncertainties 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 such  statements to reflect current
events or  circumstances  after the date hereof or to reflect the  occurrence of
unanticipated events.
                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, West
Bancorporation,  Inc.  has caused  this Report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto fully authorized.

West Bancorporation, Inc.
-------------------------
(Registrant)

January 27, 2003                                By: /s/ Douglas R. Gulling
----------------                                    ----------------------
Dated                                               Douglas R. Gulling
                                                    Chief Financial Officer