Date: February 19, 2016
To: Alex Winters, Susan Watson

From: Your Name, Manager, Business Development

Subject: New Branch

I will not be in the office for two days next week, and three days the following week. My absence will be the result of scheduled visits to Oakland, CA regarding the possible opening of our first satellite office.

As you may know, a significant number of our most lucrative clients come from the Oakland area. Our presence in Oakland will enable us to provide even better service to our clients, and may even open the doors to significantly expanding our presence within the state of California.

I realize this visit is not happening at the most ideal time as the Stranton Project is due in three weeks. But it is also important to realize we cannot overstate the importance of having a solid presence in Oakland to the long term prospects of the company. I would like to assure you I remain committed to my obligations in the Stranton Project.

To ensure my Oakland trip doesn’t hamper the progress on the Stranton Project, I will be working over the weekend this week and the next week. In addition, I will be in constant touch with you during the trip, to closely monitor the progress on the Stranton Project. I have also reached out to our colleagues in the finance and the marketing departments, so please do not hesitate to ask for help if they can be of any assistance.

I am fortunate to have colleagues like you. I understand the strategic importance of the Stranton Project, and it was not easy committing to the Oakland trips. But I also take comfort in the thought the Stranton Project could not have been in the care of more reliable hands.