Ron Pierre Vignec (1943 – 2013) was born in Manhattan, N.Y. and raised in a home of first generation (Russian) grandparents. He went to Luther College and Wagner College, where he received his B.A. in 1970. Ron married Nancy Olson, and during the first four years of their marriage they taught at Eltingville Lutheran School in Staten Island, NY. History, art, religion, Spanish, lunchroom, and part-time janitor were among the positions that Ron fulfilled at Eltingville. From 1974-78, Ron went to Luther Seminary, including an internship at Holden Village. Rock of Ages Lutheran Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia called him as Associate Pastor in 1978, which was followed by a call to Pacific Lutheran University in 1980 and Salishan Eastside Lutheran Mission from 1985-present. Salishan, founded by Ron in 1985, is the largest public housing development west of the Mississippi River, whose 3,500 residents are mostly immigrants from Cambodia, Vietnam, Mexico and Russia, many of whom speak very little English. Ron also served as Advisor to the Northwest Leadership Foundation and as Santa Claus or Saint Nicholas for his community in Tacoma.