Mick Talley has a talent for translating “geek speak” into terms ordinary people can understand, and he said that’s one major reason he recently won a multi-million dollar contract with Social Security to help get disability claim information off paper and onto a computer network in a secure way.

Talley is a director of University Bancorp of Ann Arbor as well as chairman of the audit committee. He is also a director and treasurer at the Southeast Michigan Health Information Exchange, or SEMHIE for short. SEMHIE recently announced it won a $2,988,000 contract for an electronic medical records initiative from the U.S. Government’s Social Security Administration. Talley was chosen to co-manage the program, along with Ann Arbor resident and Henry Ford Health System Director of IT Helen Hill.

“I wrote the proposal, and because of my journalistic background and my gift for explaining complex science concepts, they got what I was saying and bought it,” Talley said.

When speaking of his journalistic background, Talley is referring to writing science news as a freelancer for the New York Times and reporting for four years on television and radio. It was during that time he learned a lot about translating dense science terminology into language that an everyday person could understand, he said. However, he said he tired of writing about interesting things and wanted to actually go out and do them.

Much of his career has been spent in banking. That doesn’t automatically make him an obvious choice to help the Social Security Administration with its goal of taking disability paperwork electronic, but Talley said that many skills are transferable, and the experience he has gained making sure financial information stays safe, secure and private translates pretty neatly to keeping personal medical information secure.

“If you can challenge me on any of my technological approaches and tell me I’m wrong, that’s one thing, but to not accept the scientific truth because it comes out of mouth of community banker is nonsense,” Talley said. “Good ideas come from good people who have thoughts, and truth doesn’t come from a particular expertise or title or role. Sometimes, you get good ideas from unexpected places.”

Background

Age: 59.

Education: Bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University, 1972; attended Columbia Grad School of Business, 1975.

Family: Not married. No children.

Residence: Ann Arbor and New York City.

Business Insights

Best business decision: To focus on growth of Michigan economy and the Southeast Michigan HIE.

Worst business decision: None.

Best way to keep a competitive edge: Constant education and communication with others.

Personal hero: Christ.

How do you motivate people? By articulating goals and aims and asking for their talents and help.

What advice would you give to yourself in college? None. College was as I planned.

Word that best describes you: Persistent.

First Web site you check in the morning: News web sites: Freepress, Detroit News, ABC, CBS, CNN, NY Times, Wash. Post, NY Post, NY Daily News. And so on.

Confessions

What keeps you up at night? Nothing.

Pet peeve: None.

Guilty pleasure: I don’t have guilt.

First job: (Out of college?) CBS News Radio Division. New York city.

First choice for a new career: Healthcare Information Technology.

Treasures

Favorite cause: Cyber-security and interoperability of vendor solutions.

Favorite book: “Atlas Shrugged.”

Favorite movie: “Meet Joe Black.”

Favorite hobby: Solving problems.

Favorite restaurant: “Pete’s Tavern” in New York City.

LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter? LinkedIn.

Typical Saturday: Chores, events, interaction with friends and family.

What team do you root for? Tigers.

Wheels: None.

Who would play you in a movie? Brad Pitt.

Sarah Rigg is a freelance writer and a frequent contributor to AnnArbor.com. You can reach her at sarahrigg@yahoo.com.