**EXHIBIT 31.1**

 

**PURSUANT TO RULES 13a-14 AND15d-14 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 AND SECTION 302 OF THESARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002**

**CERTIFICATION OF THE CHIEFEXECUTIVE OFFICER**

 

I, Larry J. Brandt, certify that:

 

1.               I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of First FederalBancshares of Arkansas, Inc. (the “Registrant”);

 

2.               Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statementof a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make thestatements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements weremade, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this quarterlyreport;

 

3.               Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financialinformation included in this report, fairly present in all material respectsthe financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Registrantas of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4.               The Registrant’s other certifying officers and I are responsible forestablishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined inExchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control overfinancial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and15d-15(f)) for the Registrant and have:

 

a)              designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused suchdisclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, toensure that material information relating to the Registrant, including itsconsolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities,particularly during the period in which this quarterly report is beingprepared;

 

b)             designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused suchinternal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision,to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financialreporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes inaccordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

c)              evaluated the effectiveness of the Registrant’s disclosure controls andprocedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectivenessof the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period coveredby this report based on such evaluation; and

 

d)             disclosed in this report any change in the Registrant’s internal controlover financial reporting that occurred during the Registrant’s fiscal quarterthat has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, theRegistrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5.               The Registrant’s other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based onour most 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):

 

a)              allsignificant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation ofinternal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely toadversely affect the Registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize andreport financial information; and

 

b)             any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or otheremployees who have a significant role in the Registrant’s internal control overfinancial reporting.

 
| Date:  | November 30, 2010 | By:    | /s/ Larry J. Brandt     |
|--------|------------------------|--------|-------------------------|
|   |                   |   | Larry J. Brandt         |
|   |                   |   | Chief Executive Officer |

 

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