Exhibit 31.1

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

I, James M. Ford, certify that:

1.                 I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of PremierWest Bancorp;2.                 Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omitto state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under whichsuch 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 annualreport, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows ofthe registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this annual report;4.                The registrants other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosurecontrols and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15(d)-(e)) for the registrant andinternal 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 andprocedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to theregistrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within thoseentities, particularly during the period in which this annual report is being prepared;b)               Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control overfinancial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assuranceregarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements forexternal purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;c)               Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrants disclosure controls and procedures and presented inthis report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures as ofthe end of the period covered by this annual report based on such evaluation; andd)               Disclosed in this report any change in the registrants internal control over financial reporting thatoccurred during the registrants most recent fiscal quarter (the registrants fourth fiscal quarter in thecase of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to affect, theregistrants internal control over financial reporting; and5.                 The registrants other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation ofinternal control over financial reporting, to the registrants auditors and the audit committee of theregistrants board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):a)               All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controlover financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability torecord, process, summarize and report financial information; andb)               Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves Management or other employees who have asignificant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

|                     |                                      
|-------------------- | -------------------------------------
|Date: March 16, 2009 | /s/ JAMES M. FORD                    
|                     | James M. Ford                        
|                     | President and Chief Executive Officer
|                     | (Principal Executive Officer)        

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