| 1.   | I                  have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Heritage Oaks                  Bancorp; |
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| 2.   | Based                  on my knowledge, this 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                  report; |
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| 3.   | Based                  on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial                  information                  included in this 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                  report; |
|----------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| 4.   | The                  registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for                  establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures                  (as                  defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d -15(e) for the                  registrant                  and we have: |
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| 5.   | The                  registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our                  most recent evaluation of internal controls over financial reporting,                  to                  the registrant’s auditors and audit committee of the registrant’s board of                  directors (or persons performing the equivalent                  function); |
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|                                      |                                     |                                     |
|-------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| Date: August                5 , 2005 | By:                            | /s/ Lawrence                P. Ward |
|                                      | Lawrence                P. Ward          |
|                                      | Chief                  Executive Officer |

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