**Exhibit Number  31.1**

 

**CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C.SECTION 1350,**

**AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OFTHE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002**

 

I, Deryl F. Hamann, certify that:

 

1.               I have reviewed this annual reporton Form 10-K of Great Western Bancorporation, Inc.;

2.               Based on my knowledge, this annualreport does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit tostate a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of thecircumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading withrespect to the period covered by this annual report;

3.               Based on my knowledge, the financialstatements and other financial information included in this annual report,fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results ofoperations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periodspresented in this annual report;

4.               The registrant’s other certifyingofficers and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosurecontrols 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 thatmaterial information relating to the registrant, including its consolidatedsubsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularlyduring the period in which this annual report is being prepared;

(b)         evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosurecontrols and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date ofthis annual report (the “Evaluation Date”); and

(c)          presented in this annual report our conclusions about theeffectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on our evaluationas of the Evaluation Date;

 

5.               The registrant’s other certifyingofficers and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation, to theregistrant’s auditors and the audit committee of this registrant’s board ofdirectors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

(a)          all significant deficiencies in the design or operation ofinternal controls which could adversely affect the registrant’s ability torecord, process, summarize and report financial data and have identified forthe registrant’s auditors any material weaknesses in internal controls; and

(b)         any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management orother employees who have a significant role in registrant’s internal controls;and

 

6.               The registrant’s other certifyingofficers and I have indicated in this annual report whether there weresignificant changes in internal controls or in other factors that couldsignificantly affect internal controls subsequent to the date of our mostrecent evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard to significantdeficiencies and material weaknesses.

 

 
| Date:    September 18,  2003 | /s/ Deryl F. Hamann      |   |
|-------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------|--------|
|                                                  | Deryl F. Hamann          |
|                                                  | Chief Executive  Officer |

 

1

----