Exhibit 31(a)

 I, K. C. Trowell, certify that:

     1.   I have  reviewed  this  quarterly  report on Form 10-Q of CNB  Florida
          Bancshares, Inc.

     2.   Based on my  knowledge,  this  quarterly  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  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))  and internal
          control  over  financial  reporting  (as defined in Exchange Act Rules
          13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and 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 the
               registrant,  including its consolidated subsidiary, 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  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 based on such evaluation; and

          c)   disclosed in this quarterly report any change in the registrant's
               internal  control over financial  reporting that occurred  during
               the  registrant's  most recent fiscal  quarter (the  registrant's
               fourth fiscal  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; and

     5.   The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed,  based
          on our most recent  evaluation  of  internal  control  over  financial
          reporting,  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  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

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

Date:  August 12, 2003
                                          /s/ K. C. Trowell
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          K. C. Trowell
                                          Chairman of the Board, President and
                                          Chief Executive Officer