A native New Yorker, Rob Katz, born 1966, has always gravitated towards the nightlife. Having spent his formative years in Vancouver, British Columbia, he moved to Chicago when he was 21 to enter the financial world. Katz worked in one of the world's busiest trading pits at the Chicago Board of Options Exchange (CBOE), finding the business both educational and lucrative, but knew he was cut from a different cloth. After four years, he left the trading pit to work with friends in the nightlife industry.

Katz began working at the highly-popular Otis bar and was quickly elevated to managing partner; during his tenure, he launched several progressive promotions. After two years running Otis', Katz opened his first bar, the Waterloo Tavern, a sports bar and live music venue with an ever-present crowd. Both of these businesses thrived under Katz' management and he knew he had found his calling. The following year, Katz purchased another live music nightclub, the Elbo Room, and elevated the club's fledgling music scene into a national launching pad for bands such as Veruca Salt, Mighty Blue Kings, Liquid Soul and Verve Pipe. Other national acts that graced the stage include Cypress Hill, Stone Temple Pilots, Poi Dog Pondering and many others. In 1998, Katz continued his foray into the late-night scene, redeveloping a local jazz bar with the aide of the highly esteemed design firm Bogdanow Partners (New York). They transformed the club into Katacomb, one of the city's hippest, trendiest spots, and business boomed.

In 2002, Katz decided to expand his repertoire and began plans to enter Chicago's upscale restaurant scene. Partnering with Boehm, the two launched plans to open BOKA, which has been a runaway success since day one. Landmark marks Katz' sixth business situated in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, and is located just one block south of BOKA. Blending the best of both worlds, Landmark offers upscale dining and a high-energy bar scene, a natural fit for Katz. Katz and his wife Kathleen live in the Lakeview neighborhood with their two kids.