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                                                                   Exhibit 31.1

                                 CERTIFICATION

I, James A. Mitarotonda, certify that:

         1.       I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of MM
                  Companies, Inc.;

         2.       Based on my knowledge, this annual 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
                  annual report;

         3.       Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other
                  financial information included in this annual 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 annual 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-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and we have:

                  a)       designed such disclosure controls and procedures to
                           ensure that material information relating to the
                           registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries,
                           is made known to us by others within those entities,
                           particularly during the period in which this annual
                           report is being prepared;

                  b)       evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's
                           disclosure controls and procedures as of a date
                           within 90 days prior to the filing date of this
                           annual report (the "Evaluation Date"); and

                  c)       presented in this annual report our conclusions about
                           the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
                           procedures based on our evaluation as of the
                           Evaluation Date;

         5.       The registrant's other certifying officer 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; and

         6.       The registrant's other certifying officer and I have indicated
                  in this annual report whether or not there were significant
                  changes in internal controls or in other factors that could
                  significantly affect internal controls subsequent to the date
                  of our most recent evaluation, including any corrective
                  actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material
                  weaknesses.



                                       /s/ James A. Mitarotonda
                                       -------------------------------------
                                       James A. Mitarotonda
                                       President and Chief Executive Officer
                                       March 30, 2004