One of the nation’s largest independent broker-dealer networks, National Planning Holdings, set a record with the number of financial professionals with which it was affiliated in the second quarter.

The company, based in Santa Monica, Calif., reported that the total number of financial professionals affiliated with its four independent firms reached 3,535, which marks a 2.3% increase over the prior quarter.

As an affiliate of Lansing, Mich.-based Jackson National Life Insurance Co., the NPH broker-dealer network remains “a key component of Jackson’s overall distribution strategy,” said

Clifford Jack

Clifford Jack, chairman of NPH and executive vice president and chief distribution officer of Jackson National Life, in a statement.

“NPH has achieved an impressive level of growth over the past several years, and Jackson will continue to support the network’s expansion as part of its long-term commitment to the independent financial adviser channel,” Jack said.

Jim Livingston, president and CEO of NPH, said the growth of the network is part of “a period of historic change in the financial services industry. The regulatory environment is evolving, clients’ needs are gaining complexity and running a successful financial planning practice involves a host of new challenges.”

Livingston said NPH provides its advisors with “more from their broker-dealer.”

The network booked $148 million in revenue in the second quarter of this year, despite a sluggish economy, marking a 9.1% increase over the first quarter’s results. It generated total sales of nearly $3.5 billion during the second quarter, up 1.4% from the first quarter.

The NPH network includes INVEST Financial Corp., Investment Centers of America, National Planning Corp. and SII Investments.