Exhibit 31.1

I, Lynn B. Fuller, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of
   Heartland Financial USA, 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
   report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other
   financial information included in the 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 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)) for the Registrant and we 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 report is being prepared;

      b)                  [intentionally omitted]

      c) evaluated the effectiveness of the Registrant's
      disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this
      report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the
      disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the
      period covered by this report based on such evaluation;
      and

      d) disclosed in this 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 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:  November 13, 2003

                                 Chief Executive Officer

                                 /s/ Lynn B. Fuller
                                 -------------------------
                                 By: Lynn B. Fuller
                                     President and Chief
                                     Executive Officer