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Mid-America Telecommunications Association or MATA, as it is known to its members, was founded on June 2, 1977, by a group of 61 telecommunications managers representing 38 organizations in the Kansas City Metropolitan area that were significant users of telecommunications facilities. The purpose of the organization was to enhance telecommunications management by promoting a means whereby major users of telecommunications facilities and services could readily exchange information, experiences, and concepts to the mutual benefit of the individual members and their organizations.

In October, 1982, MATA became informally affiliated with the Midwest Telecommunications Conference, an "umbrella organization" composed of 12 telecommunications associations located in major cities throughout the Midwest area of the United States.

Membership in MATA was limited to only telecommunications users until 1983, at which time the representatives of vendor organizations involved in the production, sales, or rental of telecommunications services and equipment were allowed to participate in the organization.

Today, MATA has a membership of over 40 telecommunications professionals representing many different end-user and vendor organizations throughout the Kansas City regional area. Meetings are held the second Thursday of every month at various locations throughout the Kansas City Metropolitan area. Each month MATA brings to its members, speakers from all aspects of the hardware, network, and management sides of telecommunications to aid in their knowledge of the ever-changing industry. MATA emphasizes emerging telecommunications strategies for its membership, and subsequently has sponsored an all-day PCS based panel roundtable over the years, bringing nationally recognized experts to Kansas City to conduct specialized telecommunications training.