Exxon Board Has Stars in Its Eyes

NEW YORK — Five consumer groups outlined plans Wednesday to protest the Alaskan oil spill at Exxon Corp.’s annual meeting and the expected nomination of environmentalist celebrities to the company’s board.

Even though Robert Redford has said he will not serve on the Exxon board, the movie actor will be nominated anyway, said Ed Rothschild, spokesman for the groups. said

Rothschild said that Ted Danson, star of the television comedy series “Cheers,” and consumer advocate Ralph Nader also will be nominated at the annual meeting today in Parsippany, N.J. A spokesman said Danson was unaware of the plan to nominate him.

Exxon last week agreed to create an environmental seat on its board to avert a threat by five New York pension plans to use their 6 million Exxon shares to oust company managers from the board.