POWER OF ATTORNEY


      Know all by these presents,  that the undersigned  hereby  constitutes and
appoints  each of Scott V.  Fainor or Joy A.  Betz,  or either of them,  signing
singly, the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

      (1)  complete  and  execute for and on behalf of the  undersigned,  in the
undersigned's  capacity as an officer and/or  director of First Colonial  Group,
Inc. (the  "Company"),  Forms 3, 4 and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;

      (2) do and perform  any and all acts for and on behalf of the  undersigned
which may be  necessary  or desirable to complete and execute any such Form 3, 4
and 5 and timely file such form with the United States  Securities  and Exchange
Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority; and

      (3) take any other action of any type  whatsoever in  connection  with the
foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact,  may be of benefit to,
in the best  interest  of, or legally  required  by, the  undersigned,  it being
understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the
undersigned  pursuant to this Power of Attorney  shall be in such form and shall
contain such terms and conditions as such  attorney-in-fact  may approve in such
attorney-in-fact's discretion.

      The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power and
authority  to do and perform any and every act and thing  whatsoever  requisite,
necessary  or proper to be done in the  exercise of any of the rights and powers
herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or
could do if personally  present,  with full power of substitution or revocation,
hereby  ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  such  attorney-in-fact,  or  such
attorney-in-fact's  substitute or substitutes,  shall lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue of this  power of  attorney  and the  rights  and  powers  herein
granted. The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing  attorneys-in-fact,  in
serving in such  capacity at the request of the  undersigned,  are not assuming,
nor is the Company assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply
with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.


      This Power of  Attorney  shall  remain in full force and effect  until the
undersigned  is no longer  required to file Forms 3, 4 and 5 with respect to the
undersigned's  holdings of and transactions in securities issued by the Company,
unless earlier revoked by the  undersigned in a signed writing  delivered to the
foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

      IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to
be executed as of this 24th day of October, 2003.
                                                            /s/ Carl F. Kovacs
                                                            ------------------
                                                            Signature


                                                            Carl F. Kovacs
                                                            ------------------
                                                            Print Name



Sworn to and subscribed
before me, a Notary Public,
this 24th day of October, 2003.



Notary Public

Susan M. Kresge

My Commission expires:

8/27/05

     [SEAL]