Kelly O. Crisp, an Edward Jones financial advisor in Washington, recently attended the Edward Jones second-annual Women’s Conference in St. Louis.

The conference, held to recognize successful female Edward Jones financial advisors, provided attendees with the opportunity to network, hear from internationally recognized speakers, participate in elective sessions that explore performance excellence best practices and interact with firm leadership.

“We are thrilled to be bringing together our most successful women financial advisors to recognize their contributions and facilitate mentorship,” said Alan Kindsvater, of Edward Jones branch training. “The success of women financial advisors is a firm priority because it will enable us to serve more diverse clients and have greater choices for future leaders.”

Crisp said she found the conference extremely beneficial.

“Attracting women to our opportunity is a key part of our firm’s growth strategy,” Crisp said. “We strive to be a family friendly workplace for talented individuals who enjoy the job satisfaction that comes from making a meaningful, positive difference to our clients.”

Today, about 19 percent of Edward Jones’ financial advisors are women, compared to the industry average of less than 16 percent, according to global research firm Cerulli Associates. Edward Jones strives to have at least 25 percent women in its financial advisor population.

Crisp’s office is located at 106 E. 15th St., Washington.

Edward Jones, a Fortune 500 company, provides financial services for individual investors in the United States and, through its affiliate, in Canada. Every aspect of the firm’s business, from the types of investment options offered to the location of branch offices, is designed to cater to individual investors in the communities in which they live and work. The firm’s 14,000-plus financial advisors work directly with more than 7 million clients.