BREWING UP CHANGE.

• Author: Maurer, Kevin
• Position: STATEWIDE: East

Inspired by a drive-by shooting of a 16-year-old in 2015, Wilmington entrepreneur George Taylor and 11 local gang leaders came up with a plan to help solve the city's gang-violence problem. Last June, Taylor launched Tru Colors Brewing, which employs about 30 active Port City gang members. The company's first line of beer is slated for release in the next few months.

"[Gang violence] is an economic problem," Taylor says. "It isn't about social issues or race. Gangs are more like fraternities or clubs than organized crime. Some crime goes on, but that is not the objective. They're kind of bad at it. They get arrested a lot."

Tru Colors plans to open a brewpub later this year. While a permanent location is under consideration, the company is working out of the offices of Untappd, a Wilmington-based company that makes an app for beer drinkers. Taylor, who has launched several technology companies, is chairman of both Untappd and National Speed, a local shop for performance uto enthusiasts.

Taylor, 57, plans for Tru Colors to employ as many as 90 gang members. Staying in the gang is an employment requirement so the workers can positively influence other members.

While plans for the brewpub are finalized, the company launched an apprentice program in January that acts as a job-placement service. "We couldn't hire enough...