On September 10, 2014, Ambassador Manz conferred the Decoration of Merit in Gold to the Republic of Austria upon Nicholas "Nick" Coward, who, for the past 10 years, has supported and advised the Commercial Section of the Austrian Embassy in matters concerning U.S. trade compliance including U.S. sanctions against Russia and Iran. In his function as chair of the Global Trade and Commerce Practice of Baker & McKenzie, he often makes the elegant office space available for events organized by the Embassy's Commercial Section. The laudation was given by Joshua Bolten, former Chief of Staff under President George W. Bush.