8-K

                     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)       October 27, 2003
                                                ------------------------------



                          Washington Federal, Inc.
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          (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)




  Washington                           0-25454                     91-161606
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(State or other jurisdiction    (Commission File Number)        (IRS Employer
of incorporation)                                          Identification No.)




425 Pike Street, Seattle, Washington                                 98101
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(Address of principal executive offices)                           (Zip Code)




Registrant's telephone number, including area code       (206) 624-7930
                                                  ----------------------------



                              Not Applicable
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(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last
 report)




Item 7.   Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits
          -------------

     (a)  Not applicable.

     (b)  Not applicable.

     (c)  The following exhibit is included with this Report:

          Exhibit 99.1  Press Release dated October 27, 2003.


Item 9.   Regulation FD Disclosure
          -------------

     On October 27, 2003, Washington Federal, Inc. announced by press release
the promotion of Linda S. Brower to Executive Vice President and
Brent J. Beardall to Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
The information contained in this Report on Form 8-K is furnished
pursuant to Item 12.








                                 SIGNATURES


     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 thereunto duly authorized.


                                   WASHINGTON FEDERAL, INC.



Dated: October 27, 2003           By:  /s/ Roy M. Whitehead
                                        ---------------------
                                        Roy M. Whitehead
                                        President and
                                        Chief Executive Officer

EX-99

   1

Washington Federal, Inc.
425 Pike Street
Seattle, WA 98101

Contact:  Cathy Cooper
(206) 777-8246

Tuesday, October 27, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Washington Federal Promotes Linda Brower & Brent Beardall

Seattle - October 27, 2003 - The Board of Directors of Washington Federal
Savings (NASDAQ: WFSL) has appointed Linda S. Brower as Executive Vice
President and Brent J. Beardall as Senior Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer.  Both Brower and Beardall were also appointed
to the executive management committee of the company.

Roy M. Whitehead, President and CEO commented, "the addition of
Linda and Brent to our management committee completes our executive
management transition.  We look forward to their contributions as the
company grows in the future."

Brower has over 30 years of banking experience, most recently working
at US Bank in Seattle as Executive Vice President and Washington Metro
Region Manager, responsible for 72 branches in Pierce, King, Snohomish
and Thurston Counties.  At Bank of America, Brower was the Training
Manager of the National Customer Service and Banking Center.  She has
a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from City University.

Beardall, a Certified Public Accountant, worked as an auditor for
Deloitte & Touche LLP in Seattle for six years before joining Washington
Federal as Controller in February 2001.  He holds a master's degree in
Professional Accounting from Brigham Young University.  He has served as
the principal financial and accounting officer of the company since the
retirement of Ronald Saper in February 2003.

Washington Federal Savings provides residential real estate loans,
checking, money market accounts and certificates of deposit through
119 offices in eight western states.  Established in 1917, the company
reported $7.5 billion in assets, $4.6 billion in deposits and $1.1
billion in equity as of September 30, 2003.