The number of Certified Financial Planner professionals has topped the 75,000 mark in the United States, the CFP Board of Standards Inc. announced Tuesday.

The board says the event is “a historic milestone that marks the highest number of CFP professionals ever serving the public’s need for competent and ethical financial planning.”

“Over the years, more and more financial professionals have recognized the tremendous value that the certification holds in advancing their careers and giving them the credibility and expertise needed to help consumers plan for the future,” says Kevin R. Keller, CEO of the board.

“Our efforts to increase access to CFP professionals will only continue as we carry out our mission to benefit the public through certifying individuals who deliver the highest standard of financial planning,” he adds.

The CFP designation was born in 1973 when the first class graduated from the course at the College for Financial Planning. In 1985, the college helped establish an independent, nonprofit certifying and standards-setting organization, which eventually became the CFP Board. There are now 75,467 CFP professionals in the United States.

Gigi Guerra of Miami, Fla., is a spokesperson for the latest graduating class. After receiving her certification, she joined her father’s team of financial planners at Morgan Stanley.

“This achievement has boosted my confidence as a young millennial woman who is just entering the workforce,” she says. “It’s an exciting time for the CFP Board, and I am thrilled to be a part of it and our profession, helping people achieve their dreams through financial planning.”

The need for recruiting CFP professionals has never been stronger as it continues to experience growth trends in hiring, retirement and succession, the board says.

“As we celebrate this significant milestone, we look forward to the next generation of CFP professionals with the hope that it will be even better positioned to serve the American people by being more representative of the population it serves,” says Marilyn Mohrman-Gillis, executive director of the CFP Board Center for Financial Planning.