Sponsored by Midwest Respiratory & Rehab.
Midwest Respiratory & Rehab was founded in 2005 by father-son duo Edward C. DeLashmutt (Ed Sr.) and Edward A. DeLashmutt (Ed Jr.). Originally supplying nebulizers for pediatric patients in Papillion under the name NebDoctors, the business has grown into a full-line medical equipment provider, specializing in serving hospice patients and nursing homes across its 16 locations in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Wisconsin, Missouri and Arkansas.
Around 2021, Midwest Respiratory identified a need for a new building to serve as its corporate headquarters. This building would require a design that was unique compared to the business’s other locations: It would need to provide call center space, traditional office space and flexible workspace all under one roof – in addition to a full-sized warehouse. They knew that turning this space into a reality would be no small feat — so they worked alongside longtime collaborator Union Bank & Trust (UBT, Member FDIC) to help bring the project to life.
The relationship between UBT and Midwest Respiratory has always been a natural fit — both companies are service-oriented and focused on taking care of their customers’ needs with a personal, relationship-driven approach. Over the years, the two teams have navigated several major milestones together, including Ed Sr.’s retirement, multiple expansions and acquisitions and now the financing of Midwest Respiratory’s new headquarters.
“Finding the right property took time, but once they found the right fit, the project moved forward. Honestly, it was one of the easiest construction projects I’ve been involved with,” says Wes Cole, VP of Business Banking at UBT. Indeed, progress moved very quickly — once construction began on the nearly 20,000-square-foot building in Waterloo, it took only 12 months to be fully completed. UBT helped keep the project moving from start to finish, providing financing and support along the way.
“The new building has allowed us to bring our team together in a much more functional and efficient space,” says Ed Jr. “Our employees have easier access to one another and a significantly improved working environment compared to our previously leased spaces.”
Moving forward, UBT and Midwest Respiratory are excited to continue to build their partnership, navigating the business’s rapid growth together. “Watching them grow over the past few years has been impressive,” says Wes. “They’re excellent operators and very thoughtful about how they approach their growth strategy — they seem to think through every angle and make smart decisions along the way.”
For UBT, the completion of the new headquarters is a testament to the bank’s long-lasting commitment to get to know each customer, understand their goals and help them see them through to the end. “UBT hasn’t simply provided financing — they’ve worked alongside us as a partner,” says Ed Jr. “They’ve consistently taken the time to understand our vision, providing the financial support and capital necessary to help us continue growing.”
