EXHIBIT 31


                           SECTION 302 CERTIFICATIONS

I, B. Stephen Bailey, certify that:

         1.       I have  reviewed  this  quarterly  report  on form  10-QSB  of
                  Western Financial Corporation


         2.       Based on my knowledge,  this quarterly report does not contain
                  any untrue  statement  of a  material  fact or omit to state a
                  material fact necessary to make the statements  made, in light
                  of the  circumstances  under which such  statements were made,
                  not  misleading  with  respect to the  period  covered by this
                  quarterly report.

         3.       Based on my  knowledge,  the financial  statements,  and other
                  financial  information  included  in  this  quarterly  report,
                  fairly   present  in  all  material   respects  the  financial
                  condition,  results  of  operations  and  cash  flows  of  the
                  registrant  as of,  and for,  the  periods  presented  in this
                  quarterly report;

         4.       I am responsible for establishing  and maintaining  disclosure
                  controls  and  procedures  (as defined in  Exchange  Act Rules
                  13a-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and have:

         a)       Designed  such  disclosure  controls and  procedures to ensure
                  that  material   information   relating  to  the   registrant,
                  including its consolidated  subsidiaries,  is made known to us
                  by others  within  those  entities,  particularly  during  the
                  period in which this quarterly report is being prepared.

         b)       Evaluated the  effectiveness  of the  registrant's  disclosure
                  controls and  procedures  as of a date within 90 days prior to
                  the filing  date of this  quarterly  report  (the  "Evaluation
                  Date"); and

         c)       Presented in this quarterly  report our conclusions  about the
                  effectiveness of the disclosure  controls and procedures based
                  on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

         5.       I have disclosed,  based on our most recent evaluation, to the
                  registrant's  auditors and the audit committee of registrant's
                  board of  directors  (or  persons  performing  the  equivalent
                  functions):

         a)       All  significant  deficiencies  in the design or  operation of
                  internal   controls   which   could   adversely   affect   the
                  registrant's ability to record, process,  summarize and report
                  financial  data  and  have  identified  for  the  registrant's
                  auditors any material weaknesses in internal controls; and

         b)       Any fraud,  whether or not material,  that involves management
                  or  other  employees  who  have  a  significant  role  in  the
                  registrant's internal controls.

Date: April 19, 2004

/s/ B. Stephen Bailey
B. Stephen Bailey
President
(Principal Executive & Accounting Officer)