Critchfield Mechanical, of Menlo Park. Calif., is a heating, ventilation and air conditioning contractor that has worked on numerous projects in Hawaii, including the Aloha Tower Marketplace, Nuuanu Towers and the Hawaii Convention Center. Precision Mechanical is a mechanical contracting firm that was involved in projects, such as Turtle Bay Villas, Lanikea Condominiums and the Marriott at Ko Olina.

Joe Critchfield will serve as chairman of Critchfield Pacific. Ron Swenson and Gary Gribbon, formerly of Precision Mechanical, were named president and vice president of construction respectively.

Waldron Steamship forms joint venture with Norton Lilly

Honolulu-based shipping agent Waldron Steamship Co. has agreed to form a joint venture with Norton Lilly International of Mobile, Ala.

The joint venture, called Waldron Norton Lilly International, will begin operations July 1.

Bill Thayer, president and chief executive officer of closely held Waldron, retains those titles in the new venture. Vice President Dinesh Deogaonkar formerly was manager of Norton Lilly Hawaii.

All employees have been retained in the new agency, which operates out of Waldron's Pier 1 Control Tower Office in the heart of Honolulu Harbor.

Thayer said the joint venture is a melding of the two partners' strengths. "Waldron has a rich tradition of integrity in its service to the industry in Hawaii, and Norton Lilly has marketing and administrative prowess that has become a model for the industry," he said.

Hawaii tops vacation dream list

Hawaii ranked as the top destination worldwide for Americans asked where they would go on vacation if they had the time and money, according to a poll.

The Associated Press-Ipsos poll also found that half of Americans plan to take a vacation trip this summer.

Hawaii led the list, picked by 14 percent of those polled, followed by Europe, Alaska, the Caribbean and Florida.

The Associated Press-Ipsos poll on public attitudes about vacations was based on telephone interviews with 1,028 adults from all states except Alaska and Hawaii. The interviews were conducted May 17-19 by Ipsos.