EXHIBIT 31 (a)

     Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a)Certification (Chief Executive Officer)

I, Michael C. Gerald, certify that:

     1.   I have reviewed  this annual report on Form 10-K of Coastal  Financial
          Corporation;

     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  officers 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 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
                    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  Company's  disclosure
                    controls and  procedures and presented in this annual report
                    our conclusions  about the  effectiveness  of the disclosure
                    controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered
                    by this annual report, based on such evaluation; and

               c)   Disclosed   in  this   annual   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.



5.   The registrant's other certifying  officers 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 functions):

               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 control over financial reporting




     Date: December 9, 2004                           /s/ Michael C. Gerald
           ----------------                           --------------------------
                                                      Michael C. Gerald
                                                      President/Chief Executive
                                                      Officer