So nobody knows what happened to the forum site? Very odd.
I can't think of a single multi-volume fantasy series where the first primary character introduced ISN'T the major hero of the story. Of course, Kelsier is dead, so the next character introduced is Vin, and it is clear to me why Kelsier's setup had to come first. Comparing Vin with Elend, we know much more background on her, and more internal POV, than Elend or anyone else. Fantasy heros are very often orphans or outcasts with very hard upbringings, as is Vin's case, but Elend is neither, being instead a pampered dandy who just happens to have an honorable heart. Elend doesn't appear until well into the first volume, and doesn't get a great amount of "air-time" until quite late in the book.
Then there is also the cover art, who do we find featured?
Answering another post, Rashek never thought himself the HoA, that was Alendi. Rashek knew quite well that he was a pretender, he never felt the pulses of the WoA, but he apparently took the Power Pill after backstabbing Alendi.
It's Vin. Her boy toy may have become awesome, but he's not the Hero.