It is believed that Milwaukee County Parks Director of 10 years, Sue Black, was fired today by County Executive Chris Abele.

Abele said his reason for letting her go was because the system was going in another direction.

Black received multiple national awards, including the 2012 Norman N. Gill Award for Individual Excellence, the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management.

Also this year, Black received the Headliner Award from the Milwaukee Press Club and was named a professional fellow by the National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials.

"While I am sorry to see Black go, I recognize that such a personnel decision is solidly in the purview of County Executive Chris Abele. Black became the public face of the Milwaukee County Parks, and I thank her for her efforts to tell the Parks' story," Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman Marina Dimitrijevic released in a statement.

In a statement released this afternoon The Park People president Dan Cody said:

""We have worked closely with Sue Black over the years and have always appreciated her intensity and commitment to the Milwaukee County Parks System. Sue and her staff have done a particularly good job of maintaining our parks when faced with year after year of budget cuts and have been recognized nationally for their innovation and leadership in parks and recreation.

"We're still trying to understand the reason behind today's events regarding Director Black and await to hear more information from the County Executive regarding her replacement."