---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001437749-21-016403"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "FLNT"
cik: "0001460329"
company_name: "Fluent, Inc."
filed_at: "2021-07-06T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-30T07:13:27.707587+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.7
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.7
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Fluent appoints COO Don Patrick as Interim CEO; founders shift to strategy roles

## Summary
- Don Patrick, former COO, appointed Interim CEO effective July 1, 2021.
- Ryan Schulke resigns as CEO, becomes Chief Strategy Officer and Chairman of the Board.
- Matthew Conlin resigns as President, becomes Chief Customer Officer, remains a director.
- Co-founders Schulke and Conlin stay with company in new strategic roles.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001437749-21-016403
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: FLNT
- cik: 0001460329
- company_name: Fluent, Inc.
- filed_at: 2021-07-06T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.7
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.7
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1460329/000143774921016403/0001437749-21-016403-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1460329/000143774921016403/flnt20210630_8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001437749-21-016403
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001437749-21-016403.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001437749-21-016403.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Ryan Schulke was appointed as Chief Strategy Officer, Chairman of the Board at Fluent, Inc..
  - Action: resigned and appointed
  - Role: Chief Strategy Officer, Chairman of the Board
  source text: Ryan Schulke, age 38, resigned as Chief Executive Officer of the Company and was appointed Chief Strategy Officer of the Company.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1460329/000143774921016403/0001437749-21-016403-index.htm
- Executive change
  Donald Patrick was appointed as Interim Chief Executive Officer at Fluent, Inc..
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Interim Chief Executive Officer
  source text: Donald Patrick, age 60, was appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer, resigning his role as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1460329/000143774921016403/0001437749-21-016403-index.htm
- Executive change
  Matthew Conlin was appointed as Chief Customer Officer at Fluent, Inc..
  - Action: resigned and appointed
  - Role: Chief Customer Officer
  source text: Matthew Conlin, age 38, resigned as President of the Company and was appointed Chief Customer Officer of the Company.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1460329/000143774921016403/0001437749-21-016403-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.