Paul A. Shealer, 28, of Coopersburg, has been appointed to the position of agricultural agent in Carbon County. He will assume the duties previously held by Ray W. Reitz, Jim Thorpe, prior to his retirement.

Shealer, who will take over his new duties on Jan. 1, is a native of Trenton, New Jersey. He has been teaching an agricultural program for the past 5½ years in the Upper Bucks Area Vocational-Technical School, Perkasie.

A son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Shealer of Auburn, he graduated from Blue Mountain High School and the Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture.

Reitz retired in July after 36 years with the Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension Service.