# **EXHIBIT 31.1**

 

**PURSUANT TO RULES13a-14 AND 15d-14 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACTOF 1934 AND SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002CERTIFICATION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER**

 

I, Scott V. Fainor, certifythat:

 

1.                                       I have reviewedthis quarterly report on Form 10-Q of KNBT Bancorp, Inc. (the “Registrant”);

 

2.                                       Based on myknowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material factor omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, inlight of the circumstances under which such statements were made, notmisleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

3.                                       Based on myknowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information includedin this report, fairly present in all material respects the financialcondition, results of operations and cash flows of the Registrant as of, andfor, the periods presented in this report;

 

4.                                       The Registrant’sother certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing andmaintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange ActRules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the Registrant and have:

 

(a)          Designed such disclosurecontrols and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures tobe designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relatingto the Registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to usby others within those entities, particularly during the period in which thisreport is being prepared;

 

(b)                                 Evaluatedthe effectiveness of the Registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures andpresented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of thedisclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by thisreport based on such evaluation; and

 

(c)                                  Disclosedin this report any change in the Registrant’s internal control over financialreporting that occurred during the Registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (theRegistrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that hasmaterially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, theRegistrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5.                                       TheRegistrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on ourmost recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to theRegistrant’s auditors and the audit committee of Registrant’s board ofdirectors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

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(a)          All significant deficiencies and materialweaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financialreporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Registrant’sability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

(b)         Any fraud, whether or not material, thatinvolves management or other employees who have a significant role in theRegistrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

 
| Date:  November 12, 2003 |   | /s/ Scott V.  Fainor                   |   |
|-------------------------------|--------|----------------------------------------|--------|
|                          |   | Scott V.  Fainor                       |
|                          |   | President  and Chief Executive Officer |

 

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