Exhibit 31.1

                        FORM OF SECTION 302 CERTIFICATION

I, Thomas J. Berthel, President and Chief Executive Officer of Berthel Fisher &
Company Planning, Inc., the Trust Advisor of Berthel Growth & Income Trust I,
certify that:

1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Berthel Growth & Income
Trust I;

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 quarterly report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
information included in this quarterly 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 quarterly report;

4. The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15c and 15d-15c) for the registrant and have:


     a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that material
     information relating to the registrant is made known to us by others,
     particularly during the period in which this quarterly report is being
     prepared;

     b) evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and
     procedures and presented in this quarterly report our conclusions about the
     effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of
     the period covered by this quarterly report; and

     c) disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal control
     over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's most recent
     quarter (the registrant's fourth quarter in the case of an annual report)
     that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect,
     the registrant's internal control over financial reporting;

5. The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on our
most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of
registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent function):

     a) all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal
     controls which could adversely affect the registrant's ability to record,
     process, summarize and report financial data and have identified for the
     registrant's auditors any material weaknesses in internal controls; and

     b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
     employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal
     controls.


November 12, 2003                           /s/  Thomas J. Berthel
                                            -----------------------------------
                                                  Thomas J. Berthel
                                                  President and
                                                  Chief Executive Officer
                                                  Berthel Fisher & Company
                                                  Planning, Inc.
                                                  Trust Advisor
                                                  Berthel Growth & Income
                                                  Trust I