**Exhibit      31(i)**

**CERTIFICATION      OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER**

**Pursuant      to Rule 13a – 14(a)**

|   | 1. | I                have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Crescent Financial                Corporation (the “registrant”); |
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|   | 2. | Based                on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement                of                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; |
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|   | 4. | The                registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for                establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as                defined in Exchange Act 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant                and                have: |
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|   | a. | Designed                such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure                controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to                ensure                that all material information relating to the registrant, is made                known to                us by others within those entities, particularly during the period                which                this report is being prepared; |
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|   | b. | Evaluated                the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures                and presented in this report our conclusion about the effectiveness                of the                disclosure controls and procedures, and of the end of the period                covered                by this report based on such evaluation;                and |
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|   | c. | Disclosed                in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over                financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s fourth fiscal                quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to                materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial                reporting; and |
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|   | 5. | The                registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based upon our                most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting,                to                the registrant’s auditor and the audit committee of the registrant’s board                of directors (or persons performing the equivalent                functions): |
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|   | a. | All                significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or                operation of internal control over financial reporting which are                reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record,                process, summarize and report financial information;                and |
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|   | b. | Any                fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other                employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control                over financial reporting. |
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| Date:                March 10, 2008 |   | By:    |   /s/                Michael G. Carlton    |
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|                                |   |   | Michael                G. Carlton                    |
|                                |   |   | President                and Chief Executive Officer |

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