Stuart,

It’s fair to say that our working relationship didn’t begin quite as either of us had expected, I was so saddened to receive the tragic news. I was genuinely excited about the opportunity to work with you and to develop the plans and ideas we had discussed throughout the process.

Thank you for placing your trust in me and giving me this opportunity, rest assured that the team is in capable hands. We will continue to build on the strong foundation you’ve established and continue your success.