Registration opens for Connect 351

Online registration is now open for Connect 351, the MMA’s annual conference, which will be held Jan. 23-25 in Boston.

Known for 45 years as the MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show, the event has a new name and location, and will be expanding into a third afternoon.

The new name, Connect 351, is meant to convey the value of connection for members who attend, as well as the MMA’s role in connecting all 351 diverse cities and towns in Massachusetts.

The new venue is 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.

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.

The 2025 conference will open earlier than in past years, on the afternoon of Thursday, Jan. 23, with the Trade Show and two sessions for professional development and career networking. On-site registration will open at 1 p.m., and the Trade Show and Headshot Station for members will open at 2 p.m.

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.

In Friday’s opening keynote, titled “Momentum: Boosting Resilience, Fulfillment and Performance,” 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.

During a challenging time for public leaders, Gupta will help municipal leaders focus on internal change, while Lehrman will look externally.

Thursday afternoon will feature a Women Leading Government session with Lancaster, Texas, City Manager Opal Mauldin-Jones, in a conversation with Needham Town Manager Kate Fitzpatrick. The other Thursday session is called Speed Coaching for Municipal Officials.

The MMA is continuing to develop the program, and further updates will be posted at Connect351.org in the coming weeks and months.

All the information needed to register and make hotel reservations can also be found on the Connect 351 website.

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., providing an opportunity to meet with exhibitors. 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 Connect351.org.