Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
The MMA has just announced its two main keynote speakers for its annual conference in January — now known as Connect 351 — and has unveiled the event’s new logo and colors.
In the opening keynote, author and entrepreneur Suneel Gupta will address what he calls the “human energy crisis” and the link between well-being and performance. In the Saturday keynote, titled “From Conflict to Conversation,” facilitator and podcast host Matt Lehrman will explore how local leaders can build consensus and foster inclusion. (See full stories in this issue.) During a challenging time for public leaders, Gupta will help municipal leaders focus on internal change, while Lehrman will look externally.
For January 2025, the MMA’s annual conference — which has been known for 45 years as the MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show — has a new name and a new location, and will expand into a third afternoon.
The new name is meant to convey the value of connection for members when they attend the conference, as well as the MMA’s role in connecting all 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts.
The new venue will be the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, along with the neighboring Omni Boston Hotel, in Boston’s lively Seaport District, also known as the South Boston Waterfront. The neighborhood has numerous restaurants, cafes, entertainment venues, retailers and attractions, including the Institute of Contemporary Art.
The 2025 conference will open earlier than in past years, on the afternoon of Thursday, Jan. 23. Registration will open at 2 p.m., as will the Trade Show and the Headshot Station for members. A late-afternoon reception will be held on the Trade Show floor, providing an opportunity to meet with exhibitors. Additional Thursday afternoon programming will be announced this fall.
The Trade Show and conference programming will continue all day on Friday, Jan. 24. Saturday’s events will include member business meetings and workshops, and the conference will conclude at 3:30 p.m.
The MMA is continuing to develop the program, and updates will be posted on www.mma.org in the coming weeks and months. As always, the conference will feature 18 timely and informative workshops, inspiring speakers, countless networking opportunities, membership business meetings, receptions, awards programs and other activities.
Registration for Connect 351 will open on Oct. 1, and the dates of the conference are Jan. 23-25, 2025.
Trade Show
The 2025 Trade Show will be open on Thursday, Jan. 23, from 2 to 5:30 p.m., and on Friday, Jan. 24, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. An opening reception will be held on Thursday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. The Trade Show will not be open on Saturday, Jan. 25.
Booth selection and sponsorship opportunities are now open to all companies, nonprofits, and government agencies looking to connect with MMA members. Visit the 2025 MMA Trade Show web page for details, including sponsorship opportunities, the contract for exhibit space, the up-to-date exhibit hall floor plan, and a list of 2024 exhibitors and sponsors.
As exhibit contracts are received, the MMA will update the online floor plan. Sponsors and exhibitors will be updated continually on the Trade Show web page.
The MMA’s Trade Show provides an opportunity to meet representatives of companies, government agencies and nonprofits with products and services that benefit local governments.
If you know of a company that would be interested in sponsoring or exhibiting but is not currently listed, contact Advertising & Trade Show Manager Karen LaPointe at klapointe@mma.org or 617-426-7272, ext. 154.
For more information about the conference, visit www.mma.org/Connect351.