8-K

UNITED STATES

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) March 11, 2008

AMERICANWEST BANCORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Washington	0-18561	91-1259511
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

41 W. Riverside Avenue, Suite 400 Spokane, WA	99201
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (509) 467-6993

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Regulation FD

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure

AmericanWest Bancorporation management is presenting today at the Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P. 2008 West Coast Financial Services Conference. The presentation is scheduled to begin at approximately 7:45 a.m. (PDT). The presentation may be viewed via webcast at www.awbank.net/IR or www.sandleroneill.com and an audio-only version may be accessed by dialing 800.291.9234 and entering pass-code “Session 1.”

The presentation slides are included as Exhibit 99.1 and furnished pursuant to Regulation FD.

Section 9 – Financial Statements and Exhibits

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

(a) Non-applicable

(b) Non-applicable

(c) Non-applicable

(d)	Exhibit No.	Exhibit Description
	99.1	AmericanWest Bancorporation’s slide presentation for the 2008 Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P. West Coast Financial Services Conference.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	AMERICANWEST BANCORPORATION, a Washington Corporation
Dated: March 11, 2008	/s/ Patrick J. Rusnak
	Patrick J. Rusnak EVP and Chief Operating Officer

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

PSLA Disclaimer

This presentation includes forward-looking statements which

AmericanWest intends to be covered by the safe harbor

provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995.

These forward-looking statements describe management’s

expectations regarding future events.

Future events are difficult to predict and subject to risk and

uncertainty which could cause actual results to differ

materially and adversely. Additional information regarding

risks and uncertainties is included in AmericanWest’s periodic

filings on Forms 10-K and 10-Q with the Securities and

Exchange Commission. AmericanWest undertakes no

obligation to revise or amend any forward-looking

statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Overview

$2.1 billion single-bank holding company

based in Spokane, Washington

Traded on NASDAQ Global Select Market

under symbol “AWBC”

Market Capitalization of $146 million as of

March 3, 2007

Operates 64 full-service financial centers

offices throughout Eastern/Central

Washington, Northern Idaho and Utah

Unique Inner Mountain region community bank

franchise

Market opportunities

Many key AWBC markets have excellent

long-term growth prospects that will

provide a foundation for future growth

despite current cyclical challenges

MSA

# Branches

2000 - 2007

2007 - 2012

Provo-Orem, UT

8

29.9%

21.1%

Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA

4

22.8%

16.4%

Moses Lake, WA

2

10.9%

7.4%

Spokane, WA

10

8.6%

5.1%

Coeur d'Alene, ID

2

26.1%

20.3%

Salt Lake City, UT

3

10.8%

7.4%

Weighted average MSA (13)

49

15.1%

9.7%

National average

8.9%

6.3%

Source:  SNL Financial

Population Growth %

Markets –

Utah Expansion

Niche opportunity for a larger service focused community bank

given current competitive composition in Utah banking market

New financial center opened in Salt Lake City financial district

in Q4 2007

Utah Deposits as of June 30, 2007

*

Deposits in millions

Number

of Banks

Total

Deposits

Deposit

%

Average

Deposits

National/Regional

8

36,505

82%

4,563

Community

42

7,889

18%

187

50

44,394

100%

*

Excludes $137 billion of brokerage/specialty deposits. Source: FDIC.

Strategic Initiatives –

Mortgage Lending

Recent results include:

85% growth ($1.5MM) in mortgage banking revenue for

2007 vs. 2006

Q1 2008 mortgage revenue is on track with Q4 2007 and

160% above Q1 2007 level

145% increase in mortgage lending staff since Q1 2007

17 lenders hired in past 90 days, with 8+ average years

of experience

10 more hires expected by end of Q2 2008

Consumer construction loan product with secondary

market take-out are fully underwritten to secondary

market standards

Substantially all permanent mortgage loans sold on a

servicing-released basis

Strategic Initiatives –

SBA/C&I Lending

SBA lending group formed in Q2 2007

Over 90% of 2007 volume produced in Q3-4

Q1 2008 production through 2/29 is nearly 50% of full-

year 2007 level

Bank-wide referral incentive program

Salt Lake City C&I lending group formed in Q1

2007 with opening of Walker Center LPO

Over $40MM of C&I loan production generated by the

Walker

Center

and

South

Jordan

LPOs

in

2007

Total annualized C&I loan growth rate of 17% for the

second half of 2007

Tactical Focus –

Expense Control

Recently initiated expense management initiatives

include:

Consolidation of lending support functions completed in

January 2008, resulting in net annualized staff savings of

$450,000

Utilization of new financial center staffing models

expected to reduce FTE count by 35 during Q2, or $1MM

in pre-tax savings (excluding severance costs)

Targeted other staff reduction annualized savings of

$1MM  (excluding severance costs) to be identified by end

of Q2 2008

Evaluation of financial centers is ongoing and has resulted

in the decision to close an under-performing financial

center in Walla Walla, WA

Sale/leaseback and consolidation of excess and

administrative support office space

Tactical Focus –

Asset Quality and Loan Workouts

AWBC has had a dedicated special assets group

since 2004 and has a demonstrated ability resolve

and/or liquidate problem credits

Additional experienced staff recently reassigned to unit

Conservative approach to classifying problem

credits, focused on cash flow and primary

repayment sources

Interest reserves and guarantees do not warrant 

continuance of accrual on weak projects

No interest in holding projects on a speculative basis

Executive management meets with special assets

staff weekly to review the status of all significant

non-performing loans

Executive Management Team

Joined

Years in

Prior Industry

Name

Title

Age

AWBC

Industry

Experience

Robert M. Daugherty

President & CEO

54

Sep-04

30

Humboldt Bancorp, Draper

Bank & Trust, US Bank

Patrick J. Rusnak

EVP/COO/CFO

44

Sep-06

20

Western Sierra Bancorp,

Humboldt Bancorp,  United

Community Banks, Inc.

Rick E. Shamberger

EVP/CCO

46

Oct-03

20

US Bank

Nicole Sherman

EVP/Retail Banking

37

Dec-04

16

Zions Bank

Robert M. Bowen

EVP/Director of 

Commercial Lending

Utah

54

May-06

30

US Bank

Robert A. Harris

EVP/Director of

Commercial Lending

WA/ID

45

Mar-05

21

US Bank