Meetings are a necessary staple of Dr. Warren Ritchie's work life as Leader of Business Integration Services at Volkswagen of America.

He's had thousands of them in a distinguished career at the automaker. Amid them all, however, there have been a few meetings that truly stand out.

On a brisk fall day several years ago, Ritchie had one of those extraordinary meetings, which ultimately—in the years since—guided the wholly owned subsidiary of VW along a strategic path that should be the envy of its peers.