Michelle Lynch has big plans to increase the number of women financial advisors.

Lynch took over as vice president of the Raymond James Network for Women Advisors about five months ago, after Nicole Spinelli left the role to head a recently formed group to support female advisors at Lincoln Financial.

Raymond James began a visible commitment to women advisors 21 years ago, when it held its first conference specifically for female advisors at its various units. At this year's Raymond James Annual Women's Symposium, wrapping up today in St. Petersburg, Fla., about 500 women attended. Raymond James Financial now has more than 850 women financial advisors. That number represents about 13 percent of its approximate 6,500 financial advisors.

Lynch hopes to increase that percentage, noting throughout the industry the percentage of women financial advisors is too low.

Why has the percentage been so slow to increase? Lynch thinks the issue previously has not gotten the same level of attention that it is receiving now. "When you look at the client of the future, that's going to be a woman. We are out-graduating men, we're outearning men, we're going to inherit the majority of the personal wealth ... so when you look at who the client is, and more times than not she wants to work with another woman, a lot of people are starting to pay attention and say, 'Oh boy, what are we going to do to get more women into the industry?'"

In her role heading the women's network, Lynch says her top priority will be to support and retain the firm's female advisors. Another important priority for her will be to recruit women to RJF as well as to the industry in general. In particular, Lynch says she wants to focus on getting more women who are changing careers to enter the financial advisory profession. She also wants to recruit more women graduating from university financial planning programs.

She adds in 2016, RJF also plans to expand its coaching program for women advisors, build on networking and idea sharing from its symposium through online forums where women advisors can connect all year, and encourage more women sales assistants to enter its program for sales assistants to determine if they would like to become financial advisors.