<PAGE>

                                                                    Exhibit 31.2

                            CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
                               SECTION 302 OF THE
                           SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

I, Paul R.Skubic, certify that:

1.   I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Harris Preferred Capital
     Corporation;

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;

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
     Harris Preferred Capital Corporation as of, and for, the periods presented
     in this report;

4.   Harris Preferred Capital Corporation'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
     Harris Preferred Capital Corporation and we have:

     a)   designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
          disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our
          supervision, to ensure that material information relating to Harris
          Preferred Capital Corporation, including its consolidated
          subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities,
          particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

     b)   evaluated the effectiveness of Harris Preferred Capital Corporation's
          disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our
          conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
          procedures as of the end of the period covered by this report based on
          such evaluation; and

     c)   disclosed in this report any change in Harris Preferred Capital
          Corporation's internal control over financial reporting that occurred
          during Harris Preferred Capital Corporation's most recent fiscal
          quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to
          materially affect Harris Preferred Capital Corporation's internal
          control over financial reporting; and

5.   Harris Preferred Capital Corporation's other certifying officer and I have
     disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over
     financial reporting, to Harris Preferred Capital Corporation's auditors and
     the audit committee of Harris Preferred Capital Corporation's board of
     directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

     a)   all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or
          operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are
          reasonably likely to adversely affect Harris Preferred Capital
          Corporation's ability to record, process, summarize and report
          financial information; and

     b)   any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
          employees who have a significant role in Harris Preferred Capital
          Corporation's internal controls over financial reporting.


Date:   March 28, 2005                       /s/ Paul R. Skubic
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                           Chairman of the Board and President

A signed original of this written statement required by Section 302, or other
documentation authenticating, acknowledging, or otherwise adopting the signature
that appears in typed form within the electronic version of this written
statement required by Section 302, has been provided to Harris Preferred Capital
Corporation and will be retained by Harris Preferred Capital Corporation and
furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.