James Howard "Buck" Harless (1919–2014) was a prominent American businessman, industrialist, and philanthropist from Gilbert, West Virginia. He began his career in the coal mining and preparation sectors before investing in a sawmill that produced mining equipment. After managing his lumber business for several years, Harless sold it to Georgia-Pacific under a ten-year non-compete agreement. This prompted him to expand his timber operations internationally, establishing sawmills in South and Central America, while simultaneously returning to the domestic mining industry as an executive.
Over his career, Harless founded and acquired numerous businesses across various industries, consolidating them under the conglomerate International Industries. Beyond his primary business ventures, he was highly active in the civic and educational landscapes of West Virginia. He served on the boards of several higher education institutions, including West Virginia University, Marshall University, Davis & Elkins College, and Concord University, and was a major benefactor to local schools, churches, and healthcare programs.
Harless was also a highly influential figure in West Virginia politics as a staunch supporter of the Republican Party. He played a pivotal role in the 2000 presidential election, organizing a massive fundraising effort for George W. Bush to secure an upset victory in the traditionally Democratic state. Harless's political activism was driven by concerns that the environmental policies of Democratic candidate Al Gore would damage the coal industry and West Virginia's economy. He was also instrumental in the gubernatorial campaigns of Republicans Cecil H. Underwood and Arch Moore.
