The Panther Valley School Board filled the vacancy created by the resignation of Mark Kopunek at a special meeting last night.

Robert M. Gaughan, 49, of 348 W. Patterson St., Lansford, was elected by unanimous vote on the motion of Director William Mansberry.

Gaughan is a graduate of Marian Catholic and Carbon County Vocational-Technical schools and holds an associate degree in electronic technology. For the past eight years, he has been employed by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company as a mine electrician.

He and his wife, Wanda, have two children, Timothy, a recent PV grad, and Tiffany, a freshman at the high school.