Exhibit 31.1

                    SARBANES-OXLEY SECTION 302 CERTIFICATION

I, William M. Lasky, certify that:

      1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of JLG Industries,
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
quarterly report;

      3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
information included in this quarterly 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 quarterly 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 quarterly 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 quarterly report (the "Evaluation Date"); and

            c) presented in this quarterly 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
quarterly 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.

                                         Date:  July 29, 2003

                                         /s/ William M. Lasky
                                         --------------------
                                         William M. Lasky
                                         Chairman, President and Chief Executive
                                         Officer