Power of Attorney


     The undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Anna M. Rientjes the
undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact in the absence of Michal D. Cann
or Shelly L. Angus, each the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact, to:

(1)           execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's
              capacity as an officer and/or director of Washington Banking
              Company ("WBCO"), Forms 3, 4, or 5, in accordance with Section
              16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules
              thereunder;

(2)           do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the
              undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete and
              execute any such Form 3, 4, or 5, and complete and execute any
              amendment or amendments thereto, and timely file such form with
              the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any stock
              exchange or similar authority; and

(3)           take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with
              the foregoing which, in the opinion of the attorney-in-fact may be
              of benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required by,
              the undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed
              by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to
              this Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain
              such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in
              such attorney-in-fact's discretion.

     The undersigned hereby grants to such attorney-in-fact full power and
authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requistite,
necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers
herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or
could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or such
attorney-in-fact's substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
of this power of attorney and the rights and powers herein granted. The
undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorney-in-fact, in serving in such
capacity at the request of the undersigned, is not assuming nor is WBCO assuming
any of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the
Securities and Exchange Act of 1934.

     This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5 with respect to the
undersigned's holdings of and transactions in securities issued by WBCO, unless
earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the
foregoing attorney-in-fact.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be
executed as of this 8th day of May 2003.





                                          /s/      Jerry C. Chambers
                                 --------------------------------------------
                                                   Jerry C. Chambers