UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): January 19, 2023

GULFPORT ENERGY CORPORATION
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

(405) 252-4600
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the Registrant under any of the following provisions:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 5.02 - Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On January 18, 2023, the Board of Directors of Gulfport Energy Corporation (the “Company”) appointed John Reinhart, age 54, as Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective as of January 24, 2023 (the “Effective Date”). Mr. Reinhart will succeed Timothy Cutt, who resigned as Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective as of the Effective Date, and was appointed as Executive Chairman of the Company, effective as of the Effective Date.

Mr. Reinhart joins the Company with over two decades of oil and gas industry leadership experience. Most recently, he served as President, Chief Executive Officer and member of the board of directors of Montage Resources Corporation where he led actions that positioned Montage as an attractive strategic partner with sufficient scale, low debt profile and achievement of top-quartile operational and financial metrics. Mr. Reinhart previously served as President, Chief Executive Officer and member of the board of directors of Blue Ridge Mountain Resources and as Chief Operating Officer at Ascent Resources. He started his oil and gas career at SLB before joining Chesapeake Energy Corporation, where he held operations roles with increasing responsibility. Mr. Reinhart began his career in the United States Army, serving tours in Panama and Iraq. 

There are no family relationships between Mr. Reinhart and any director or executive officer of the Company that are required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 401(d) of Regulation S-K, there are no undertakings between Mr. Reinhart and any other person pursuant to which he was selected to serve as an officer of the Company, and there are no transactions between the Company and Mr. Reinhart that would require disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.

On January 19, 2023, the Company issued a press release regarding the resignation of Mr. Cutt and the appointment of Mr. Reinhart as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and the appointment of Mr. Cutt as Executive Chairman of the Company. A copy of the press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

The following information is being furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 of Form 8-K. This information shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

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