The VR/AR Association (VRARA) appoints Omari Hitson as Ohio Chapter President
The VRARA is pleased to announce that we are launching our first chapter in the state of Ohio and have appointed Omari Hitson as Chapter President!
VR and AR technology, collectively referred to as XR or Spatial Computing is becoming more widely adopted by large enterprise organizations. Some of the leading use cases are for worker training, new product design review and for improving manufacturing and support processes.
Ohio is one of the leading manufacturing economies in the United States and ranks 3rd in the US for manufacturing GDP and many Fortune 500 companies such as Proctor & Gamble, Kroger, Marathon Petroleum and Nationwide have their headquarters there. In addition Ohio ranks 2nd in the US for motor vehicle production with plants from General Motors, Ford and Honda. And finally Ohio has a large aerospace presence with all of the OEM’s having a strong presence and the largest and most important Air Force bases Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton which is also called the “Aerospace Hub”
“As XR technology becomes more widely used in traditional industries, end users are looking for individuals and suppliers that are experts in the technologies that are within the area and can support them. The VRARA is an ecosystem that creates local communities that are connected to the global ecosystem of over 50 chapters and tens of thousands of active VRARA members and participants. We think the timing is good to start a chapter in Ohio and are pleased to appoint Omari to help us stand up the Chapter and build the ecosystem.
John Cunningham, COO of the VRARA adds “Omari is an expert in XR technology where he leads XR product development for his current employer who is a large enterprise, but he is also a passionate community builder who wants to help others and share his knowledge and passion. He will be great leader for us and I look forward to working with him to plan our first event sometime in the next couple of months and start connecting business and individuals!
“I am really excited to be given this opportunity and to create this local ecosystem supported by the global organization.
Building great XR products requires more than just cutting-edge technology—it demands collaboration across industries. As the President of the VRARA Ohio Chapter, I’m excited to help build a thriving XR community that fosters collaboration between industry leaders, startups, and research institutions.
I’m honored to help build a statewide network and invite anyone passionate about XR to connect, collaborate, and shape the future of Ohio built immersive technology with us.” -Omari Hitson
We invite local professionals, innovators, and XR enthusiasts to join our Ohio chapter. Members enjoy exclusive networking opportunities, access to global events, visibility across our extensive platforms, and numerous resources for continuous learning and professional growth. To learn more about membership benefits or become involved, please visit our website or contact us directly at ohio@thevrara.com and info@thevrara.com.
