Santa Joe Barney is a legend in the Santa Community.  We are happy to have him headlining the Performers Power House Weekend as part of ProSanta.schools Advanced Santas Studies Class, August 23rd and 24th.  

Joe Barney is a seasoned performer known for his work as both a comedy magician and as Santa Claus. He owns Center Ring Productions, a company specializing in family entertainment, and has performed extensively throughout the Northeast. His Santa portrayal has reached audiences at iconic locations, including Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square and Rockefeller Center in New York City. Additionally, he has appeared as Santa at Six Flags and other prominent venues, spreading holiday joy across many well-known events.

Beyond his Santa persona, Barney has a rich background in the circus world. His career includes work with Ringling Bros. and Big Apple Circus, where he performed as a clown and ringmaster and even served as a supervisor in the Clown Care Unit at Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital, blending entertainment with therapeutic support. His lifelong passion for performance has led him to champion Barnum’s legacy and engage in numerous productions celebrating the circus’s unique history.

Santa Doug Eberhart has been portraying Santa Claus for 47 years. He started his acting career in Massillon, Ohio at Washington High School and began as Santa when he was 14 years old. His mother Sandy made his first Santa suit out of an XL men’s pajama pattern. Doug began by doing “Santa gigs” for friends and neighbors and worked his way into doing home visits. Being a large football player, (offensive center) Doug continued his passion for playing Old Saint Nick through his college years at Princeton University where he graduated in 1985.

 

Upon graduation, Santa Doug moved to Charlotte, NC and continued his portrayal up until this day. He has entertained over 20,000 children and adults. He is a member of IBRBS, Santa USA and prefers to use a designer beard due to his work in the medical field. Being a Designer Bearded Santa has not slowed down Santa Doug’s business. He has been Santa Claus for TV commercials, The Carolina Panthers, Department stores, Grocery Chains, numerous corporate parties and hundreds of home visits.

Santa Doug has gone to numerous Santa schools and classes including the C.W. Howard school. He fills his schedule with about 75 gigs per season. Santa Doug is known for wearing numerous Santa outfits that are beyond the traditional. Many of his outfits are based on vintage postcards and drawings. You can see some of his collection at rentasanta.com under the photo section, his personal website.
In May of 2018, Santa Doug started Prosantashop.com which specializes in products for the PROFESSIONAL Santa. Products include custom made Santa Suits, shirts, vests, waistcoats, belts, buckles, bells, santa bling etc. You can reach him at [email protected]
In June of 2019 he founded with Santa Stephen B. Price, Charlotte Area Christmas performers, a group of local Santas, Mrs. Clauses and Christmas performers.

Rich Lange has found the fun in many jobs; radio jock, concert promoter, writer, event producer, voice-over artist, event DJ, and professional salty-snack-taster. Rich earned his business-skill stripes as a Marketing and Sales Director at Procter & Gamble, sharing the story of some of the world’s biggest consumer brands.

He made the world a better place as an award-winning Marketing and Event Director in radio broadcasting, creating events and promotions that made life more fun for radio listeners.

Rich is professionally trained as a speaker, Master of ceremonies, and Storyteller – including time at Second City in Chicago. Today, Rich performs both as a Professional Voice Actor, and in his entertainment business year-round as a Professional Master of Ceremonies for Weddings, and seasonally by portraying the jolliest old elf.

Rich shares his experience and skills as a speaker and coach, focusing on the use of story in both selling and performance.

Several magical things fell in place that started Santa Stephen portrayal as Santa. First back in the summer of 2011 a little girl and her dad questioned if I were Santa in disguise (as the little girl thought) I was wearing my leathers; no beard (a long Fu Manchu) and riding my Harley? Then my youngest daughter got married and I cut the Fu Manchu off even with my chin then just for kicks I let it grow back as a beard – my wife then I thought teasing “if she bought a Santa Suit; would I consider being Santa at the hospital she worked at on Christmas Eve. After a few months I agreed so we proceeded to go to our local costume shop (Morris Costume) and check out the suits available. As we searched I noticed one in particular that I liked on one of the displays but couldn’t find it on the shelves. The manager informed us that it was received by mistake that they didn’t carry that style but if I wanted it they would sell it at a special price. I tried it on and it was a little big. My wife said if I liked it she could adjust the fit a little for me.

Then I got my feet wet before Christmas Eve by helping my step-daughter and her church deliver presents to a family (easy peasy) no problem, then on Christmas Eve my wife (Teralee) tells the grandkids (they are dressed as Elves) that she forgot a present or two and needs to stop by Walmart on the way to the hospital and pick something up. (I’m thinking still no problem) but when we get to Walmart and she gets out to go in; she’s like come on it’s no time to be shy! So here I go a new Santa: into Walmart on Christmas Eve! Talk about baptism by fire; I was mobbed. After that, the hospital was fairly easy! At that point, I decided that this was indeed something I enjoyed.

Since then I have attended most Santa Schools, conferences, gatherings, and online classes that I can. I’ve strived to become the best Santa I can be! I’ve performed for numerous organizations: TV commercials, tree lightings, parades, professional sports teams, the military, small events to events at arenas. Along with Teralee, we do over 65 home visits a year – 4 Country Clubs – several HOAs – tree lightings every year. I also average over 100 hrs of photography each year working with well over a dozen photographers. I also along with Doug run our local Santa group The Charlotte Area Christmas Performers – and I’m the Membership Officer for IBRBS where I’ve served on the board for the past several years while being the Regional Representative (Smoky Mountain Region) and District and State Representatives for North and South Carolina. I’m a member of the Clan Claus Society. I hope to share my experiences and knowledge with you as well as learn from you!

Teralee’s journey as Mrs. Claus began at the age of 17 when she felt compelled to provide an entire Christmas for a co-worker’s family of five children who had recently escaped communist China. This act of kindness ignited a lifelong tradition of giving, teaching her own children the joy of generosity and ensuring that many families experienced the magic of Christmas.

Teralee’s love for children has been a constant thread throughout her life, reflected in her numerous roles and careers. She was awarded the title of the youngest Cub Scout Den Mother in Oregon at age 19 while raising her younger brother. At her church, she taught Sunday School and Bible School, and served as a Youth Group Leader. In her community, she volunteered for the Union County Adolescent Pregnancy Program and served as a Guardian Ad Litem.

Her professional career included roles as a substitute teacher for high school and middle school, an assistant teacher for kindergarten through second grade, and work in a school counseling office before she transitioned to nursing. Upon retiring from nursing, Teralee asked Stephen to play Santa Claus, continuing her tradition of delivering gifts to patients on Christmas Eve.

Teralee put on her first Mrs. Claus dress in 2017 to assist Santa at a Christmas party for the 1-130th ARB in Raleigh, NC, as they deployed to Afghanistan. Since then, she has been dedicated to perfecting her Mrs. Claus persona, creating costumes and props, and attending Santa schools and gatherings nationwide.

Her performances have graced corporate functions, HOAs, country clubs, daycares, parades, tree lightings, charity events, home visits, ProSanta School, and even special events like Molly Grantham’s “Molly’s Kids” and the Charlotte Panthers’ Christmas Party.

Every Mrs. Claus brings her unique style and God-given talents to the role, and Teralee is no exception. While she excels in baking cookies, her true passion lies in engaging children through interactive stories. Using magical props to spark their imagination, Teralee spreads the joy and enchantment of Christmas to children of all ages.

I am “Soulful Santa” Maurice. I have been a Professional Santa Claus since 2019 and have had solid bookings each year working with “Santas Just Like Me”, www.SantasJustLikeMe.com, @SantasJustLikeMe8533 on YouTube, since that time. I am a Retired U.S. Army Drill First Sergeant and a Retired U.S. Postal Service Cybersecurity Engineering Portfolio and Personnel Manager. I am a former long-time resident of Raleigh, NC and a recent resident now of Monroe, NC.

I am a real-bearded, white-bearded, slenderer Santa Claus of Color, and I provide Professional Soulful Santa Claus appearances, visits, and related Santa Claus services in both Traditional Santa Suits and Professional High-Quality Santa Claus Wardrobe apparel. I provide both In-person and Virtual visits to individuals, families, groups, particular needs situations, corporate events, professional photography & studio sessions, and many other event types locally, nationally, and internationally.

I am Santa Claus in a range of traditional to professional apparel as Workshop / Relaxed Santa, Vested / Semi-Formal Santa, Traditional Suit Formal Santa, and Ceremonial / Majestic / Parade / Professional Santa Claus. I perform a range of home / office / location visit types, pose for photos, conduct storytelling sessions, host games, perform in sing-a-longs, and so much more for both children and adults of many ages.

My mission is being an authentic-looking, authentic-sounding, and authentically-realistic and professional Santa Claus of Color, Relation, and Representation both for the minority community in particular and for the multi-culturally diverse general community at large during the Christmas Holiday Season. I work to create and deliver memorable holiday moments and experiences. I’d love to be your Santa Claus of Choice and bring my Soulful Santa magic into your life and sparkle it upon your event! Please Invite Me!

I am an Attendee, Member, Student, and Graduate of many Acting and Santa Claus training seminars, summits, schools, academies, and centers like The Santas Just Like Me School of Being Santa, The Northern Lights Santa Academy, The Worldwide Santa Claus Network, The North Carolina Friends of Santa, The Pro Santa School of Charlotte NC, The John Casablancas Acting, Modeling, and Career Center, and the Elevation Baptist Church Play and Stage Performers Ministry. I work to bring and integrate a good combination of my knowledge, skills, and abilities into my Santa Claus persona and deliver high quality performances and results that engage, energize, and excite my audiences with long-lastingly wonderful experiences and memories.

Originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and later calling the warm state of Arkansas home, Santa Melissa Rickard—endearingly known as “Santa Mel”—now brings Christmas magic to life in Battle Creek, Michigan. As one of the few professional female Santas in the United States, she is both honored and blessed to fulfill this cherished role, one she carries with grace and heartfelt joy.

With 31 years of experience, Santa Mel has dedicated her life to making each visit meaningful, whether during a newborn’s first Christmas or a comforting moment in hospice care. Known for her light, performance-based approach, she focuses on genuine connection, bringing warmth and kindness to children of all ages, especially those in underserved communities and with special needs. Santa Mel believes that Christmas magic is in every thought and every action, a message she carries forward with each encounter. Together with her late husband, she created the “Apple Blossom State Santa,” a beloved persona that has touched the hearts of countless families and friends.

Outside the North Pole, Melissa is a proud Human Resource Generalist—a role she truly loves. She holds two master’s degrees, one in theology and another in divinity, which inspire her commitment to compassion and service in every part of her life. She is also the founder of Santa’s Magical Fellowship Group, a community she began in 2021. With over 1,700 members from around the world, this group has become a treasured place where Santas, Mrs. Clauses, and holiday performers gather to share, learn, and grow together.

At home, Santa Mel enjoys the love of her two furry friends, Waylon and Kisses, and a fascination with the rich history of Christmas traditions, celebrating kindness and generosity year-round.

Santa Melissa Rickard is much more than Santa—she is a keeper of the Christmas spirit, bringing light, wonder, and joy to every heart she touches.