I agree that industry involvement is helpful to one's career.   I congratulate you on taking the time to get involved; it’s not easy to stay focused on external commitments when you have more work than you have hours to execute it.

When counseling others on how to position their careers toward their long term goals, I break these types of groups into two flavors: Professional Associations, and Industry Associations. 

Professional Associations are excellent resources for You, the professional, to hone your skills and knowledge within your specialization, including continuing education, as well as keeping abreast of new technologies that may affect you and your clients.

Industry Associations, where clients, peers, competitors, and vendors, gather are useful for other reasons.  They are focused on your Client's business, and allow you an opportunity to learn more about your customer.  Meetings can be an outstanding source of early intelligence regarding future bid opportunities, as well as where potential teaming partners are sized up. 

I think participation in both is important in planning your career, with an emphasis in the latter for those who wish to distinguish themselves in business development.  Keep up the good work. 

Josie