First Place Financial 10-Q 2003 Q2 Quarterly report

Exhibit 99.1

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

In connection with the Quarterly Report of First Place Financial Corp. (“First Place”) on Form 10-Q for the period ending December 31, 2002 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Steven R. Lewis, Chief Executive Officer of First Place, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

(1)	The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and
(2)	The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of First Place.

February 14, 2003	/s/ STEVEN R. LEWIS
	Steven R. Lewis Chief Executive Officer

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